


The Divide

by Anjelle



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-18 20:37:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2361422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anjelle/pseuds/Anjelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leading a double life is never easy. With friends in the slums and a family of nobility, Luffy hides his lineage to keep up the guise that he's a resident of Low Town, hoping to one day find a boy from his past and repay him for what he did all those years ago. But Whitebeard, the largest underground power around, is searching for him. And Sabo, his brother, wants to know why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boy with the Straw Hat

Tiny, frail limbs danced across the dirt, feet muddied and drenched from the ongoing downpour. The child ran faster than his legs could carry him, panting hysterically as the raw sensation in his throat scraped the inner workings of his flesh. It didn't matter how much it hurt. It didn't matter that he was tired. He just had to run.

Turning the corner, the boy slammed into something and his head met the ground. He paused to rub his sore back and skull, taking in the additional pain with only a few tears.

"Are you ok?" a young voice beckoned. Opening his eyes, the child stared blankly at the person and the outstretched hand before him. Looking the other boy up and down, he noticed that he was probably the same age, or a little older. The other boy's face was dotted with tiny freckles and accented by the long, black waves draping slightly over his eyes.

Still curiously analyzing the other kid, the boy nodded slowly and was helped to his feet. He watched the larger boy strangely once he noticed his clothes – they were tattered and worn, a dull brown that contrasted very clearly with his own neat and refined ensemble. He hadn't seen anyone wear such odd clothing before and noted that he would never see a family member or friend in such dingy clothes. But he liked them—they looked comfortable. Easy to run in.

Then he remembered. Entering a frenzied panic, he scurried his vision all around. No one was there. He was relieved, but in no way felt safe. He had to get out of there.

"Hey, is something wrong?" The other asked. His attention was brought back to the other young—though much taller—boy. The stranger had given him a look-over, most likely noticing the blood and bruises scattered across his face and hands. Or maybe he was looking at the huge, infected, x-shaped gash on his chest. Or his tiny, frail body that was thinner than it should be. Whatever it was, he looked concerned. "What happened?"

"I can't!" the younger stuttered, knowing that every second wasted there would risk his recapture. He had to get moving. He had to get out of there. "They'll find me! I have to go!"

He started to dash off when he was pulled back by a hand on his wrist; small like his but with strength he did not possess. He wasn't scared, though. This hand was reassuring, so very unlike the one that had been thrust upon him so many times before. Turning slowly, he took the other boy's form in with a questioning stare.

"Wait," he commanded, voice firm and protective, "I'll help you."

The men dashed through the dark, secluded streets. Looking over their shoulders now and then, they waited for their pursuer to emerge from the blackness they left behind. Nothing. Being heavily out of breath, they started to lose momentum and entered a slow jog. Even their adrenaline was starting to wear off. It was only a matter of time.

"Think we lost him?" one asked, panting uncontrollably as his feet faltered under his weight. Before the other was given the chance to answer, the sound of wood clacking against the ground entered their ears. The steps were even and unwavering. Bold. Calm, even.

"Who, me?" a youthful voice teased, smile clear in his tone.

The two shot their heads backwards, mortified by what they saw. A short, lanky teen stood behind them. Though it was a challenge to see, they made out a simple, red vest and dark blue shorts. A straw hat sat atop a matted mess of black hair, strands making their way into his eyes. The man didn't look tough by far but the ones he was chasing knew otherwise. They had heard the stories and the wry smile the teen wore paled their faces into a sickly white. That smile was deadly.

"Straw Hat!" they screeched, frozen in place by barely visible eyes.

"Where were we again?" He cracked his knuckles, wooden sandals clicking as he took a few intimidating steps.

"Luffy, how many times have I told you not to go out on your own?" a red-haired girl asked, threateningly tapping her finger in her impatience.

"But Nami!"

"Don't give me that! You never keep a low profile. You're on the front page. Again!" She was ready to tear out her own hair, watching her leader's pout as she so frequently did. Really, he would be the death of her one day. His constant antics were succeeding in stressing her out to new levels.

"At least they still don't have a picture of him," a long-nosed boy with black curls announced, trying to calm his fuming friend in an effort to save their leader from a beating. Though she was not as formidable an opponent in battle, she was able to put every one of their nakama in their places. That included the one they admired and followed, Luffy.

Luffy grinned at his friend, Usopp, in a silent show of gratitude. He knew that he would always have his back, even when he was the one at fault. Of course, he knew this wouldn't help calm the angry strategist, but the sentiment itself was enough.

"They may not have a photo but now they have a description!" She tore the paper from the table and began reciting the tiny section she was referring to. "The deviant has been spotted wearing a red vest, blue shorts and sandals. In each encounter, he has been scene with a straw hat either atop his head or strapped to his back." Then she proceeded to glare daggers at the man in question, giving him a chance to explain himself before she ripped him to shreds.

Before he had a chance to retaliate, a lean blonde clad in black answered, speaking in elation at the sight of the woman in front of him—the one he had been swooning over for several years. "That's not much for them to go on. They didn't mention any of his features, so it should be fine. I wouldn't worry too much Nami-swan." He normally would take Nami's side regardless, but the description was hardly a development. Luffy was infamous in the Underground and his straw hat was known as his signature item, so that being mentioned in the paper didn't matter much; it just meant that he was being recognized above ground, too. Sure he would have to watch out for guards and officers and other law enforcers, but a quick change of clothes would be enough to fool them. Because their group always worked at night it was easy for them to hide their faces in the darkness. None had bounty posters… yet.

"But Sanji, he never takes his damn hat off!" she whined, pointing to the raven-haired boy with a furrowed brow. "We all know that he's going to be stupid at some point and wear it above ground in the daylight. It's only a matter of time."

"Well…" She had a point. Their leader wasn't exactly tactful. In fact, he was dimwitted and never thought his actions through. That accounted for the previous night, as well: some thugs had been snooping around the area, trying to find their base of operations, and he had taken it upon himself to beat them to a bloody pulp without so much as a word to the other Straw Hats—at least not until he got back. Sparks had been flying ever since.

"I'll be careful, Nami," the boy beamed, trying to rest her worries. She had a short fuse but it was only because she cared for her nakama. In a way, Luffy found them to be quite similar; when the people he cared about were in danger he didn't think rationally. The night before, he had gone after those two jerks and broke most of their bones because he feared their hideout would be discovered. If it was, all of them would be in danger. He didn't need to risk that. The nine of them were like family, after all.

Nami sighed. "You'd better. No wearing that hat in public, alright? It's really noticeable."

Luffy nodded. "Okay!"

"Anyways," a deep voice bellowed from the corner of the room. The sound came from a tall, muscular man with green hair and tanned skin. He stood slightly away from the rest of the group and leaned against the wall with his arms folded. "Why did you call us here? Got something planned?"

"Oh, right!" The leader placed his fist in his palm, recollection apparent on his face. The man's mouth curved into a slight smile at this—he knew that when they were all gathered it was because their "boss" had something big planned. Hopefully this time it would result in some fights because he wanted another chance to use his swords. Practicing was only entertaining for so long. "So, you know those guys from last night?"

Five of the members nodded while the rest replied with a firm "yes". Of course they knew! It was plastered all over the news that morning!

"They were from the Whitebeard gang, right Leader?" a tall, eloquent woman with ebony hair asked, blue eyes reflecting in the dim lights of their base. The girl, Robin, held her usual soft smile on her face, sitting at a table near the main group.

"Yep!"

The rest stared, dumbfounded for a brief moment. They didn't know that, but somehow Robin did. They didn't like the sounds of it, either. The Whitebeards were a dangerous group which currently held the most territory and power in the area. Definitely not to be messed with. The group could only imagine the reasons they were hunting around for information on the Straw Hats, but each possible scenario left knots in their stomachs.

"We're gonna take 'em out," Luffy beamed, not a shred of hesitation in his voice. The other members stared at him with blank faces that quickly shifted to horror and disbelief. He was putting them up to a suicide mission.

"…What?"

After sneaking away from his gang, Luffy slipped back into his part of town—a place foreign to his friends from the slums. Entering a gated area that kept the rich separate from the poor, he made his way down the stone streets and past the extravagant restaurants to the residential area, slipping into his house when no one was home. He knew he had to get out of his street clothes; that attire, though extremely comfortable, was unacceptable in his society. Wearing informal garb was equal to being a savage in the eyes of the nobles.

Racing up the stairs and to his room, Luffy rummaged through his closet. As he did so, he was reminded of how careful he had to be from now on—not of the government officers in the middle and poor areas of the city, but of his friends from there. He'd known them for many, many years and they had become more suspicious as of late. This was because they, essentially, knew nothing about his past. He never mentioned his family or home, or anything related to his personal life outside of the gang, for that matter. It was all a big secret. If they knew, he would be tossed aside. They hated nobles.

After slipping on a dark suit, he hopped back down the stairs and inhaled a quick meal which resulted in an empty fridge. The young noble hurriedly headed out the door to a rather desolate area of town. This was the only place in High Town that remained, for the most part, empty. It was his favourite place. There he didn't have to watch a myriad of self-righteous bluebloods act nice to each other to keep up relations. He hated the nobles and himself for being born into such a twisted society. Though Low Town had more violent crimes and significantly worse living conditions, he preferred it because the people were real. They didn't care who you were; they would speak their minds regardless. Brutally honest.

"Hey!" he heard a voice call from behind as a firm grip rested on his shoulder. Luffy's face lifted from his dark thoughts as he recognized the sound. He spun around cheerily to see a tall, slightly older blonde standing behind him.

"Sabo!" With that greeting, the man took a seat next to his friend. He was wearing his usual blue suit and top hat that was so like yet unlike the attire of the other nobles. He was one of the few bluebloods Luffy didn't mind. In fact, the two were very close; brothers by bond and not blood.

"I saw the paper," he teased, resting his arm on the back of the bench they were on. Luffy gave him a proud laugh and Sabo watched him curiously, knowing full-well that he was up to something. It was rare for the boy to plan, but when he did he always went to new lengths and surprised him. It was both unnerving and exciting to see that grin of his. "So what are you plotting this time?" He took the unnatural silence that followed as a cue. The noble was all too familiar with his friend's serious atmosphere.

"…I think I can start looking for him soon."

Sabo stayed silent and pondered the bug-eyed teen's words momentarily. It clicked quickly. "You mean the kid who saved you, right?"

"Yeah. It's because of him that I'm still here and that I'm strong enough to protect my friends. I want to thank him properly for what he did back then."

"But…?" Over the years, Sabo had become accustomed to Luffy's uncharacteristic moments. Whenever his friends or saviour were involved, he was suddenly more mature and focused than his usual, brainless self. It was strange, but equally charming.

"But there's one more thing I have to do first."

"What's that?"

"Take out Whitebeard's boss!" He watched the older noble's face turn to an expression identical to the ones on the faces of his friends from the slums and his smile widened. "Shishishi!"

"You…" The blonde pinched the bridge of his nose, predicting the headache about to ensue. Luffy had always been reckless. He knew that all too well—he was the one who was left cleaning up his messes—but lately he had taken it to a whole new level. Whitebeard was the strongest gang around and he knew that Luffy was also aware of that fact. Too aware. "…You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yep! Shishishi!"

Sabo's face contorted into a resigned anguish and he knew he was going to somehow get roped into helping his little brother out… again. He heaved a sigh and turned to the tiny teen, watching his grin with half-lidded eyes. "Why them, of all people? They're the strongest power in this city."

"That's why!"

His older friend groaned. Of course. "Well, I should have expected something like this from you. Have you heard the rumors?" Watching his friend's vacant expression, he had his answer. That kid was going to get him killed one of those days. "The old man's retiring. Apparently his successor is ridiculously strong."

"Good," Luffy stated, flashing a wicked, toothy grin. It wouldn't be any fun if he wasn't strong. He needed to fight the strongest. He needed to prove himself to his hero. When he finally met him again, he would show him that he was strong—that he was able to protect the people he cared about. Only then would he be able to properly thank him for that day twelve years ago. "How'd you know that, anyways?"

"Well," Sabo began with a grin identical to Luffy's, "their old man's been trying to track me down lately." He seemed rather proud of himself, gaining the attention of the Underground's biggest influence. Of course, no one other than Luffy knew who he was. He hadn't been in the papers or media even once. His antics were, though. Even after six years no one knew who was causing such a mess in the Underground. Now Whitebeard was searching. If anyone could discover Sabo's identity, it was him. He had connections. Still, the smug blonde wasn't worried in the least, or so it appeared. He was pretty happy with himself, actually. "I've been keeping an eye on their movements."

"Why are they after you?"

"No idea." The man slouched back in his spot on the bench, a posture foreign to most nobles, and gave in to his exhausted brain. In all of his searching he hadn't come across the reason yet, which was abnormal. His information network was so far-spread that he was aware of all of Low Town's workings. Everything. Only that eluded him. "I can't be certain, but it might be for the same reason they're looking for you."

He felt his younger friend tense beside him. Luffy was always very protective of the people close to him, especially the ones from Low Town. They were his friends. His family. And though he and Sabo bonded as brothers, he worried more about his nakama in the slums. Sabo could take care of himself, but the Straw Hats were new to the kind of violence they were now a part of. Though both Luffy and Sabo were bluebloods by birth, they went through hardship and life-threatening danger throughout the entirety of their lives. The two nobles had indispensable experience and knowledge that the others did not.

Feeling the tension grow too thick, Sabo felt it best to change the subject.

"Let's just say you do take down Whitebeard's boss; how do you plan on finding that kid?"

"By searching," Luffy stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. This only caused his older brother to sigh.

"What's his name? I'll see what I can find." He knew that the chances of Luffy finding some guy from twelve years ago were slim, at least without help from his information system.

"Dunno."

He slapped his palm to his forehead. "Of course." Luffy had never been a very bright little brother; that was certain. "Then what does he look like?"

"Can't remember." Sabo glared daggers at the boy who, in turn, shrunk away from his accusing expression. "It was twelve years ago! It's all a big blur."

"Then how do you expect to find him? You don't know anything about the guy!"

"I do!"

"What?"

"He was really strong!"

Logic going over the boy's head, Sabo gave in. He could only deal with that little brother of his for so long. He loved him to death but sometimes the lack of brain cells in the boy's head would wear him down. Nobody could defeat him… except Luffy.


	2. The Gentleman's Muse

The room was dark, vaguely illuminated by wall lamps. The dozens of men in the room all gathered around a large chair that held an equally massive man. White mustache decorating his face, he gave them all a barely visible grin. Directly in front of him stood three more men, each with high ranks among the group.

"So," the giant man bellowed, "how was the search?"

A man with a pompadour hairstyle sighed. His shoulders sagged and he raised his arms with a shake of his head. "Not a thing. Whoever the Blue Gentleman is, he's cautious. None of his victims have seen his face. Hell, they've never even heard him speak!" Clearly the man was irritated. His name was Thatch and he was one of the Whitebeard commanders. He'd been assigned the task of gathering information about the Blue Gentleman. According to rumors, a man in high-end blue garb had been messing around in the Underground for the better half of a decade. He caused trouble for everyone from gang leaders to law enforcement—even the government itself. Despite the man's heave activity, though, not a single person knew anything about him. He had not slipped up once in six years and it was driving the older man insane searching for clues to his identity. Even  _if_  they found him, there was no guarantee they could do anything about it; if his track record was anything to go by, he was unbelievably strong. It was doubtful he could beat the old man or higher-ranked commanders but that didn't mean they would be able to catch him.

"Cunning brat, ain't he?" The giant old man took a large swig from his bottle of sake, pondering the situation in his head. "What about the other one?"

"Straw hat took out two of our informants, yoi." This time a tall blonde stepped forth. Marco, second in command, was a rather laid-back man. That was clearly noted by his heavily lidded eyes and lax demeanour. It was rare for him to get emotionally invested in anything and that was no different. Though he cared about his comrades, he wasn't one to go into a rage over some of their members getting beaten during a mission. The last man in front of their boss, however, was.

"Oyaji, let me go after him next. I'll make him pay for what he did." Though the youthful voice sounded calm, its tone was seething with anger. The two commanders looked towards their young accomplice, knowing just what he wanted to do. He was out for blood.

"Calm down, Ace," the older man commanded, glaring at the teen that stood before him. "I don't need you making enemies of either of the two brats, understood?"

"But—" With one glare from the large man the boy bit back his words and stepped away. He wouldn't disobey Edward Newgate, their leader. As much as he resented the Straw Hat boy for his actions, he would not go against his Oyaji's wishes. That man had done more for him than he could ever possibly repay.

"Oh, how interesting," a low voice sang from the darkest part of the space, right near the room's closed entrance. Every one of the Whitebeards turned to face the unfamiliar tone. Their eyes were met with the shadowed figure of a man in royal robes, top hat covering his downturned face—the Blue Gentleman.

* * *

Luffy threw open the heavy, metal door to his base. He cheerily entered what they had deemed their "conference room" and smiled at the three faces he met. Not all of their membered could go to that particular meeting so they would have to discuss a plan on their own for the time being. If it was up to their leader, he would already have busted into one of Whitebeard's known hideouts and demanded the location of their boss. To his misfortune, a certain strategist refused to let him do as he pleased. So there they were.

"Hey!" he called out, waving energetically at the three. Adjusting his hat, he slumped down into his usual seat across from Zoro and adjacent to Nami and Robin. It was sad that he couldn't see the others, but that happened once in a while. They all had lives outside of the gang and sometimes those lives took precedence over their underground activity. Luffy didn't mind. In fact, it made him feel bad that he had never divulged his personal life to them, if only just a little. When he couldn't appear they were never given a reason. It wasn't fair to them.

Robin looked up at her leader and smiled. She shut her book and was at full attention. After a glance at the cover of the piece of literature, Luffy noted that the information it contained most likely detailed the city's history. After all, she was their historian. Most gangs didn't have positions like that—they were all about brute force and mindless territorial advances—but each of the Straw Hats had their own unique assortment of talents and Luffy wouldn't let that go to waste. They were all invaluable members of his group.

"So, Leader, shall we begin?" Robin asked, lightheartedly grinning at the man before her.

"Sure!" he replied, letting out one of his usual small laughs. The others always liked when he was in the room; he brightened everything around him. Each of them held a dark past of some kind—memories they would rather forget—and that smile of his erased all of their pain. Without fail.

"First off," Nami began, inhaling deeply, "you're sure we're going to do this, Luffy?"

"Of course!"

"I was afraid of that." The redhead slinked down into her seat, vigor from the previous day draining out of her being and onto the floor. With a groan, she did her best to compose herself. "Got a plan?"

"Not at all!" Despite his words, the boy's face was as merry as ever.

Nami slammed her head into the table, moaning her complaints. In an effort to keep her friend from insanity, Robin decided to step in. She was able to keep calm, no matter what their leader said. "Whitebeard is a formidable adversary, Leader. I think it would be best to hear Nami out." After Luffy replied with a nod, Robin motioned for her younger friend to voice her opinion. The redhead silently thanked the historian, knowing full-well that Luffy wouldn't have listened without her calm words. He wasn't going to like what she had to say.

"Honestly, I think it would be best if we held off on our attack for a while." She immediately noticed Luffy's face sag into a pout and went to elaborate. "The Whitebeards are up to something. I don't know what it is, but they're beginning to make their move. If we go on the offensive now we could end up with casualties." Luffy lowered his hat, blocking out his expression. She recognized that body language and knew she'd hit a nerve, regardless of that not being her intention. He didn't like to think about that. "And the Blue Gentleman's been showing up a lot recently. He's dangerous, Luffy."

Head still lowered, a new grin plastered itself to his face. The boy had to avoid eye contact to keep from laughing. If only they knew. "I don't think you have to worry about him."

"Why?"

"Just a hunch."

She ignored his words, making them out to be one of his whims. "My point is that it might be best for us to lay low. We can gather information on the Whitebeards and decide what to do then. How's that?"

"Okay." It was a shock that he had agreed—Luffy hated waiting and planning and biding for time. He was more of an "act now, think later" kind of guy. He turned to his second-in-command for approval. "Zoro?"

"I'm fine with it." The green-haired swordsman adjusted himself in his chair, silently disappointed that he wouldn't be using his swords anytime soon but content to fight relentlessly when he finally would.

"Now that that's settled, food!"

The other three sighed.

* * *

Most of the Whitebeard members froze in their spots, icy trails of sweat beading down their foreheads. Even without any information on the man, without ever seeing him or hearing his voice, they  _all_ knew who he was. How could they not? The man stood out far beyond an average person; his clothes were so like a noble's and, yet, not exactly the typical design of one, while his presence itself was stifling. He had an air of confidence about him that filled the room. It swept over everyone, including the members of high rank. Whitebeard himself felt it.

"So you came on your own," Whitebeard stated with a bit of a laugh. Truly, he hadn't expected their target to show on his own accord. His statement was met with a proud chuckle from the man wearing the top hat, face still hidden from view.

"You've been searching for me for over a month now and haven't found anything. I was starting to feel bad," he teased, making the commanders growl low in their throats. It took all they had to keep themselves from jumping the man. Still, they had to control themselves; if they paid close attention they would be able to learn a few things about him. Since the minute he had arrived, they learned more of him than they did during their entire month-long investigation. Now they knew his height and voice, as well as some of his less important features. Even just that was progress. Still, they were cautious. They knew that the man had never appeared in front of such a large group, meaning he was planning something. "So what, pray tell, are you  _fine_  gentlemen up to?"

The man's mocking tone almost sent hot-headed Ace into an angry verbal assault, but he bit back his insults in favour of not upsetting his father figure. Instead he studied the stranger, noting that he looked a lot weaker than rumors had said. Was that really him? He could see very little muscle through the stranger's long-sleeved garb so he found himself thinking lowly of him. Then there was his voice—young, sounding to be no older than Ace. Was the mysterious, unknown terror of the past six years only a young man? How curious.

"So you want to order me around? Cheeky brat." Whitebeard scoffed at the Blue Gentleman's words, but was not at all offended by them. In fact, he rather liked the kid's tenacity.

"Let's skip the formalities, Newgate." Whispers spread around the room at the mention of their leader's real name. Very few outside of their "family" knew his true identity. If that kid could find out something like that so easily then he was definitely someone to watch out for. "I'm not stupid enough to think you're after my head. You want something. Tell me what it is."

At the man's condescending tone, Ace could no longer hold himself back. He thrust himself forward at the blonde, fists flaming, and yelled out a quick "Hiken!" before a column of flames burst towards the Blue Gentleman. The fire lit up the man's face for an instance and impacted, though he hadn't caught a glimpse of it. However, when the attack dissipated, the man was unharmed. In fact, he was grinning much wider than before. Ace shrugged off the lack of damage his attack caused and raised another flaming fist threateningly. "Don't speak to Oyaji like that, bastard!"

Sabo, still hiding his face, couldn't help but feel giddy. It was rare for him to see a logia user and his mind was riddled with an assortment of tests he would like to do on the poor guy if ever given the chance. He loved learning about the abilities of different types of Devil Fruits, though logia were his favourite to study because of how uncommon they were. Not having an ability of his own, he would often study his little brother to see what his limitations were. Having been on the receiving end of such a variety of abilities, the man's threat didn't faze him and his attack was easy to deal with. He'd known about that commander and gathered a large sum of information on his ability.

Shrugging off the situation, he laughed and took a few confident steps forward. He noticed the opponent falter at that. "So you're Fire Fist?" The black-haired teen furrowed his brow, indicating that Sabo had gotten it right. Seeing as  
none of the other members had made a move to stop either of them, he felt he needed to stir things up. After all, revealing the information he had on them would get them worried. The more worried they were, the more likely they were to let something slip—a precaution in case Whitebeard wouldn't cooperate. "Portgas D. Ace, right?"

He saw the man in front of him tense, wide-eyed and shocked. His reaction was better than he thought; the rest of the members would definitely catch on. None of their real names should have been known, but he'd already listed off two. They were starting to back into a corner, falling right into the palm of the Blue Gentleman's hand.

"How did you…?" Ace's voice faded as the colour drained from his cheeks.

"You really think I would show up here and risk everything without a little leverage?" Sabo left the man to his thoughts and walked straight past him to the other commanders and to the giant chair where Edward Newgate sat. He pulled down the rim of his hat to cover a larger portion of his face as he entered an area with a little more light, remaining unknown to his spectators. Now some of the closer members could tell his hair colour, but little more. Before he addressed the old man, he turned to the two before him and gave a small nod. "Ah, Marco the Phoenix and… Thatch, was it?"

Thatch felt a little insulted that the boy had to think for a moment before saying his name and then reprimanded himself for being mad at something the kid shouldn't have known in the first place. He gave the stranger as intimidating a glare as he could. "Don't try anything," he commanded, more of a threat than anything.

"Me? Never." Though he said that, his grin turned wicked. "Now, gentlemen, onto more pressing matters."

"Confident, aren't you?" Newgate mused, clearly unaffected by the boy's knowledge and actions. In fact, his interest had been piqued. "You want to know why we're searching for you, brat?"

"If you would be so kind," Sabo urged, doing a small bow with that playful expression never leaving his face.

"Gurarara!" The leader laughed deeply and chugged the rest of his drink. He stared down at the boy, taking a bit of a liking to him. Though he knew nothing about the brat, he deemed him trustworthy enough. "Your information network is impressive, boy." It sounded like he was changing the subject, but Sabo knew better. This man was straightforward, he realized, and so he would play along.

"You flatter me."

"It seems you might have information on a traitor." Even with just that ambiguous sentence, the entire situation became clear. At the mention of a traitor, the air grew thick and tense. People in the crowd were clenching their teeth and fists, looking to the ground as though they were ashamed. No one knew who the traitor was, exactly, but it was clear that one was among them. Newgate didn't have the heart to suspect his own "sons" and so he called forth the most famous underground intellect around. Simple plan, Sabo deduced.

"I'm not doing charity work," the blonde stated bluntly. He felt Fire Fist's heated eyes on him once more, but paid him no mind. "What's in it for me?"

"Why, you—"

"That's enough yoi," Marco said, stopping Ace from trying something stupid… again. The fuming teen slunk back but never lowered his threatening eyes from the Blue Gentleman's figure.

"Bold, for a kid," Whitebeard stated with amusement clear in his tone. "What do you want?"

"An exchange." Newgate, as well as many of his underlings, cocked their eyebrows in a bout of confusion an interest. "I want some information of my own. You give me that and I'll see what I can find."

"About what?"

"Straw Hat." The ears of everyone twitched at the mention of that name. Many of Newgate's men broke away from their sudden fascination with the floor to gawk at the man. "You're after him. Why?"

"Why do you want to know, boy?"

"That's not part of our deal."

"Gurarara!" Yes, Whitebeard was growing quite fond of the boy. "I'm testing him."

"Testing?"

"That's all I'll say. Find out what I want to know and I'll explain."

Sabo couldn't help but snicker; the old man was more cunning than he gave him credit for. "Very well, then. Give me three days." He could hear an applaud of whispers surround him at that, talking about how cocky he was and wondering if he would manage to give them the facts within such a short time frame. Ignoring this, he tipped his hat in a bow to Whitebeard and his commanders, still hiding his face. "Until next time, gentlemen."

Sabo spun around on his heel, met with Ace blocking his path. He stepped forward regardless and stopped only two feet away from the fire user. He lowered his hat further over his eyes, smiling devilishly at Fire Fist before giving him a slight bow as well. "Portgas."

"Don't use my name so easily, bastard." Though his words were still laced with silent threats, he had cooled off. Still didn't like him, but it was a start.

"Of course; how rude of me."

Ace stepped out of the Blue Gentleman's way, hesitant. He didn't like the guy, but he didn't need to be reprimanded later for  _three_  outbursts during the encounter. So, unable to do anything else, he watched the man as he strode away, opened the steel door and left the deepest confines of their hideout. As the blonde in blue vanished he found himself wondering how he'd gotten in so easily—every entrance was guarded.


	3. Angry Fire and Burnable Straw

Luffy strutted down the stairs, half awake. The sunlight reflected off of the white walls of his expansive living room and caused him to hiss out in pain as he covered his eyes. He heard a bit of a laugh come from the other room. Clearly the house's other occupant noticed he was awake.

Dragging himself into the kitchen, he stared blankly at the redheaded man currently cooking breakfast. The man watched as Luffy sat at the kitchen table and attempted to stay awake.

"Morning, Shanks," he greeted, resting his head on the cool, wooden surface of the table.

"Another late night?"

"Something like that."

"If you keep this up you're going to age faster than I am," he teased, sticking his tongue out playfully as he finished the last of his cooking. After a few last-minute touches, he served their breakfast and sat across from his adopted son, watching as the boy perked up at the sight of food. Energy returning, he began ruthlessly devouring every morsel. The scarred man smiled at this, beginning to eat as well. "So what happened?"

"…"

"I'm not going to ask again so if you want to tell me you'd better do it now."

"…I think they're suspicious."

"Your friends from Low Town?"

Luffy nodded as energy drained once more from his being. He remembered overhearing their conversation through the conference room door the night before. They didn't sound too concerned over the matter but the fact that they were starting to wonder about why he hadn't told them about his personal life had him worried. It was only a matter of time before they questioned him.

* * *

_"Hey…" Nami began, voice low and in distress, contrasting her usual vigor. The other two turned to attention to question her sudden mood change. "Have you ever wondered why Luffy's so secretive?"_

_"What do you mean?" Robin asked, tilting her head._

_"Well… It's just that he's never really told us about his past or family; we don't even know where he lives."_

_"So?" Zoro prodded, clearly not feeling the same as she did._

_"It's worrying me. I feel like he's hiding something."_

_"I trust Leader. If he's keeping something from us then I'm sure it's for good reason," the ebony-haired woman stated, her slight smile turning to a knowing grin. Though she didn't know what the leader was keeping from her, she would never doubt him._

_"I know, it's just… He knows everything about us. Why don't we get to know anything about him?"_

* * *

Though Robin's words were comforting to Luffy, who had heard them through the door, he couldn't help but think that their conversation was the beginning of something that could tear them apart. If they ever found out he would no longer be able to visit Low Town.

"Why not tell them?"

Luffy gave Shanks a sharp glare, as if he was saying something ridiculous. The man stared questioningly, waiting for an explanation. "Do you have any idea how much nobles are hated in the slums?" His father gave him a smug look, silently reminding him just who he was talking to. Finishing the last of his meal, he tiredly hit his head against the table once again. "Then you should know why I can't tell them."

"What a troublesome son," Shanks stated with a smile, shaking his head.

"I don't want to hear that from the man who starts drinking before noon." Without lifting his head, he pointed at the bottle in Shanks' hand. The man laughed in turn, taking another swig of rum.

"I'm from the worst part of Low Town, what do you expect?" he asked proudly, knowing that his choice words would irate the boy further.

"…You're insane."

Shanks laughed and finished the last of his meal, placing the dirty dishes in the sink, no doubt for Luffy to do later. Then he returned to the table to finish his alcohol, slouching all the while. Luffy liked his father's carefree attitude—as annoying as it could be—because he could relax around him, which was a rare occurrence in High Town. Nobles liked to keep up appearances and most would never be caught doing the things Shanks did. That man was always very different from the other residents, most likely due to his lineage. Though he was a noble then, he used to live in the slums; it was one of those rare cases where someone of high stature was created and not born.

Despite his now prestigious status, he was still very active in the underground. He was said to be one of the country's greatest powers and one of the only men who could ever rival Whitebeard in strength. He was also the one who got Luffy so interested in Low Town. His first interest in the poor areas of the city was sparked when that boy had saved him as a kid, but it was fueled by Shanks who allowed him to go out and explore without the regular confines of the nobles' society.

"What's Sabo been up to?" Shanks' question brought Luffy out of his thoughts and back to reality. "He hasn't shown up to bother me lately." Sabo was just as much a part of the family as they were. In fact, he was over so often that he might as well have lived there. Shanks treated him like a son, just like he treated Luffy, and might as well have been the one who raised him.

The blonde hated his parents but decided he would continue to live with them, for the time being at least. He felt that it was best to stay with them, to keep up appearances and avoid suspicion about his more  _questionable_ pastimes, but Shanks managed to convince him to move in a few weeks back. He hadn't done so yet, though. Eventually. Despite Sabo's undeniable strength and cunning in the underground, Shanks worried just as he did for his younger son. The boy was hardly a kid anymore, but it would be nice to keep him close, safe.

"He's been collecting collateral," Luffy replied, eyeing the fridge in a thought of a second serving.

"For what?" Shanks knew that Sabo was very calculative, but he was also a bit cocky. If he was getting back-up information then there was no doubt that he was planning something dangerous. He could hear a little worry in his own voice, but mostly curiosity.

"Whitebeard's been looking for him."

"Why?"

"Dunno." Luffy rose to his feet, deciding he wanted to raid the fridge while he explained. He grumbled, realizing he would have to cook if he wanted more meat, and removed some fruits instead. "Said yesterday that he was going to find out."

"He went to visit Newgate?"

"Yep!" Luffy's mood perked back up as he continued to stuff his face with whatever he could.

"…That moron." Shanks put his head in his hands, knowing that one of his boys was going to worry him to death in the literal sense one day. He decided that the development was stressful enough to make him  _not_  want another bottle of rum, only to avoid being drunk if his older brat got into trouble and needed help. He knew that Whitebeard was a respectable man and didn't act without necessity. Even still, Sabo had a foul mouth. He could get the best of men riled up, Shanks concluded.

"He's supposed to stop by today. I'll tell him you're pissed off."

"Please do."

* * *

"…He got angry?" Sabo asked, shivering at the thought of Akagami Shanks' furry. The man was calm and laid-back to a fault but when his temper kicked in—rare as it was—he was worse than a demon. The blonde knew that first hand.

"Well, more like stressed out. I told him I'd say he was pissed though."

"Good." He felt himself sink into the couch, relieved that he wouldn't have to hide from his father figure. Shanks would say he was angry even when he wasn't to keep the boys on their toes. They were less likely to do something stupid if he did. After all, who wanted to be beat by one of the strongest men in the country, maybe even the world?

"So where were you?"

Sabo leaned forward, prepared to engage himself fully in their conversation. He had learned a lot in the past twenty-four hours and had a lot to tell. Taking a sip of his drink, he thought of the best way to answer that. He had to keep things simple and to the point—it was Luffy he was talking to, after all. "I spent the night in Low Town gathering info. Whitebeard has a traitor and the old man wants me to find out who it is."

"That's why he was looking for you?"

"That's what he said." The blonde folded one hand around the other, resting his chin on them in contemplation. He was good a good judge of character, as well as intention, and while he believed Newgate he was also cautious to fully accept what he said. "I think there's more to it than what he's letting on."

"Like what?"

"Not sure but I'm researching their gang, just in case. My first priority is that traitor. I think I know who it is. Old man won't like it though."

"Why?"

"It's one of his oldest members. He might not believe me because of that so I'm going to do a bit more investigating before I tell him." The main suspect was a man that went by the name of Marshall D. Teach. After looking into the movements of the commanders, Sabo had deemed them all trustworthy and moved onto lower ranking members. Teach stood out like a red flag; he'd been doing shady business behind the gang's back and would meet up with some rather questionable individuals. Still, Sabo couldn't be sure yet. If he went up to Whitebeard's boss without sufficient proof it would likely result in disbelief. Heck, if he took offense to the claim he might want to go on the attack. So he would wait, take up a little more of his three days, and gather evidence. Pretty easy job.

His thoughts moved to his little brother who was shoveling food into the black hole under his nose as per his usual dinner routine. Oddly enough, the dimwit had followed the conversation in its entirety. He hadn't shrugged anything off as a mystery and understood everything that was said to him. How strange. Luffy had been a lot more attentive that evening. He was only like that when something was bothering him. Being the mindful big brother he was, Sabo knew his worries rested on his friends in Low Town and thought it best not to pry. He knew he would feel just as bad as Luffy if he were to befriend people from the slums and risk losing them because of his status. That's why he remained alone.

"Did you get to meet Whitebeard's successor?" Luffy asked. He'd been wondering about it all last night: if he was strong, he wanted to know.

"Well, I wasn't exactly introduced to any of them…" He thought for a moment, thumb and index finger pressed lightly to his chin. His mind flashed back to his time in the base and he analyzed the area, looking for any characters who stuck out as good leaders. His mind drifted to Fire Fist and he couldn't help but snicker, remembering his impulsiveness and eagerness to fight. A good test subject, he thought. "Going by rank, it's probably Marco the Phoenix."

"Is he strong?" Luffy was on the edge of his seat, his childishly large eyes gawking at his older brother, anticipating the response.

"I'd assume so; he's second in command, not to mention he's a mythical zoan-type." He paused to allow the black-haired teen to gush over his most-likely inaccurate imagination. "Honestly though, I don't know much about him aside from his name."

"So he's a mystery?"

"…Yes, actually." For the first time, his brother's offhanded comment was correct. It was a shock to both of them. Before his mind began wondering too much about the first division commander, he allowed a shift in his thoughts back to Fire Fist. Portgas D. Ace, the hothead of the gang. For some reason he was really interested in that guy. He was easy to understand, seeing as he wore his emotions on his sleeve, yet Sabo thought there might be more to him than what he saw on the surface. How curious. And then he realized why he'd taken a liking to the man.

"Fire Fist. Know him?"

"Yeah, I've heard some rumors that he's really strong!"

"I met him there. He kind of reminds me of you."

"Really? Why?" Luffy had taken an invested interest in the blonde's words. Sabo hadn't said something like that before. Just who was that guy?

"You're both reckless," he teased, remembering Ace's violent outburst. Really, if Sabo wanted to, he could have taken him out easily. He wasn't stronger though, not by far. In fact, that Ace guy had the most potential out of everyone in the room. What put the blonde at an advantage was his knowledge and temperament; he knew a lot about most of the Whitebeard commanders, how they attacked and what abilities they had, but he was also very level-headed. Portgas' biggest weakness was his fiery temper. Luffy's weakness was not thinking before he acted.

Luffy pouted in his usual manner, eliciting a laugh from Sabo. "Jerk."

"If it makes you feel better, you've both got your good points."

"Like what?" Luffy's smile was starting to wash away his pout.

"He's really devoted. Reminds me of the way you act when you talk about the Straw Hats." Sabo recalled how angry the guy had gotten when his leader was mocked or when he was worried that his comrades were in danger.

"Shishishi!" The boy flashed one of his trademark grins, suddenly taking an interest in the man he'd never met.

"But you're both morons," he teased, receiving yet another sour look. He shrugged it off, thinking back to that man. Though he suspected Marco to be the successor, he couldn't help but think that Portgas had the makings of a great leader. With a little anger management and some training, he could be quite the adversary.

* * *

Ace bitterly made his way down the blackened streets of the shanty town, still fuming over his earlier conversation with Oyaji. He warned him not to trust that bastard, Blue Gentleman, but the old man laughed in his face. Apparently he found the worries of one of his sons amusing. Pissed him off.

As he reached the shore—the only soothing place in that shitty town—he spotted someone off in the distance. With a quick squint of his eyes, he made out a scrawny male figure staring out at sea. The closer he got, the more he could make out. He nearly fell into a rage when he spotted a Straw Hat resting on the boy's back. His steps quickened, hastening his approach; that was the guy who hurt the informants. He had to pay.

The boy seemed to notice Ace because he hurriedly reached for his hat and pulled it over his eyes before turning around. He shouldn't have bothered, Ace thought, it wasn't like they could see each other well in such darkness anyways. When their gaze met he stopped. He couldn't attack him; he'd promised Oyaji that he would control himself. Still, the bastard being so close made him light his fist in anger.

When the boy noticed the flames encasing Ace's hand he gave him a large, toothy grin. It pissed him off more, imagining a smug look on the kid's face. His body prepared itself for a fight until Straw Hat decided to speak.

"You're Fire Fist!" the boy cheered, pointing an accusing finger at the man. Ace's eyes narrowed. It wasn't surprising that he recognized his alias but the kid's reaction didn't sit right with him. He lowered his orange cowboy hat further down, cautious after what had happened with the Blue Gentleman. He didn't need anyone else discovering his identity. "Portgas D. Ace, right?"

Ace felt all of the blood in his body freeze. His eyes went wide in disbelief and he could feel himself tremble, quite to the contrast of his usual confidence. He was scared. Two people knew his real identity.

"How do you know my name?" he asked in a bit of a bark, trying to sound threatening despite the fear that loomed over him. Having your identity discovered by the enemy was a death sentence. He was a dead man walking.

"The Blue Gentleman told me," Luffy beamed, almost calling his brother by his real name. If he slipped up he knew that Sabo would have his head, so he made sure to be extra careful. Although, judging from the man's expression, he'd already said something wrong. Oh well.

"That bastard—" His anger was cut off by a strange comment from Straw Hat.

"He's taken a liking to you!" At the bewildered stance Fire Fist took, Luffy couldn't help but laugh. It was strange seeing a man so much larger than he was tense up like he did. "Shishishi!"

Taking Straw Hat's laugh as mockery, Ace ignored their conversation and prepared to attack, lighting his fist once more. He would just have to think of a good explanation to give Oyaji and Marco. He raised his fist and readied Hiken. Before he could launch the column of flames he heard a loud, feminine screech. Both boys looked around, confused, before spotting a black silhouette against the buildings just before the shore.

"Straw Hat! What the hell? I told you to be careful!" she screeched, sending shivers down the boy's spine. Luffy recognized that rage right away—his lovely strategist, Nami. And she was _not_  happy.

"But—"

"Don't start! What do you think you're doing? I thought we agreed to lay low!"

"I was just having a little fun," he declared, though the other man was not amused, still wondering about the woman hiding ten metres away. Even though he could not see her eyes, Luffy could still feel Nami's glare.

Defeated, he decided to listen to his strategist before making his situation any worse. He turned back to Fire Fist slowly, depression clear in his body language. She could at least let him have one fight, right? Well, best not to test his luck. He raised his hand and gestured a goodbye.

"Sorry, gotta go. Fight me next time, ok?"

Without waiting for a reply, Straw Hat and the woman sprinted away into the darkness at incredible speeds, leaving Ace to stare blankly and wonder what the hell just happened.


	4. A Brush with Death

Sabo's three days were up. He managed to record some proof on one of the den den mushi he hid around Teach's hangouts. Angry at himself that it took him so long to get the information, he decided to pay the Whitebeards a visit as soon as night fell. He wasn't a member of the gang but, with what he discovered, he felt worry gnawing at his chest.

The man in question was calling himself Blackbeard—rather unoriginal—and had been staying with Whitebeard to chance an encounter with a Devil Fruit. Just recently he found what he was looking for on his own, however, and told his questionable associates that he was going to make his move. Sabo didn't know when it would happen but he was certain the traitor was going to go after one of the gang members. If he took out a commander or two he would gain immediate recognition. Someone would die.

* * *

Whitebeard and all of his commanders, except one, were the only ones in their main hideout that night. After all, they didn't want to risk the traitor being among them. Thatch, Marco and Jozu all stood before their father and boss, awaiting the arrival of the Blue Gentleman. He appeared from the shadows in the same manner he did last time, no one noticing until he spoke.

"It's been far too long, gentlemen." The room's occupants all turned to look at him, watching with hopeful yet cautious gazes. They couldn't see his face under his large top hat. It was still a shock to see the man of rumors so close and they couldn't help but wonder about his identity.

"What did you find?" Newgate asked, not in the mood for the boy's games.

Sabo waved his index figure in front of his face, smiling wickedly as usual. "Not yet. I'm running a business here, old man. Keep your end of the bargain and I'll tell you what I know. Why are you after Straw Hat?"

"Cheeky brat," the giant man said, giving a bit of a laugh. He liked the boy's enthusiasm, as annoying as it could be. It was interesting to have someone to stand up to him for a change. "The Straw Hat boy has been making a name for himself."

"And?" Sabo crossed his arms, getting rather impatient. It was rare for him to take so long to find something out and after three days he was ready to force the information out of the old man if he had to. He didn't, though, since Whitebeard was a rather respectable guy.

"There's going to be a war. I want to see what side he'll choose."

"About that war…" Sabo knew what he was talking about, though he wasn't ready to call it a war. The gangs were starting to form alliances with one another based on ideals. On the surface it didn't seem like much but he had a feeling it might grow into something momentous. He'd been keeping an eye on the Underground's movements because of it.

"Not part of our deal, brat," the old man stated, repeated the Blue Gentleman's words from their last encounter mockingly. Sabo rolled his eyes, though no one could see.

"Fair enough. I'll hold up my end as well." He paused, noticing something was missing. The blonde walked closer to Whitebeard and his commanders, scanning the room for whatever it was that didn't sit well with him. It wasn't long before he realized. "Where's Fire Fist?"

"He's out with a member of his division. They're collecting some information," Thatch stated in a much more laid-back fashion than their last encounter. Apparently he was starting to trust him, but he didn't care. No, he was too busy going over the possibilities in his head. He knew all of the members of the different divisions and didn't like what was going through his head.

"Is he with Teach?"

"Yeah," Thatch answered, rather confused by the question. Apparently the boy knew more about their group than he thought—members other than the commanders. Suddenly the kid slammed his foot down, bringing all attention to him.

"You dumbasses! What the _hell_  were you thinking?" Sabo knew perfectly well that they were unaware of the traitor's identity but they should have at least been cautious, right? He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white to control his anger. He needed to stay focused but it was hard, even for him. He took a liking to the fire user. "You just got one of your commanders killed!"

They all stared at him with varying levels of surprise and confusion. Seeing the Blue Gentleman lose his temper was unheard of. He was a man known for his calm, calculating disposition. They remained quiet until he cooled down and focused. Head still shadowed by the rim of his hat, he repressed his anger and prepared to fully explain the situation.

"Marshall D. Teach is the traitor."

* * *

"Damn Straw Hat bastard," Ace mumbled, still fuming over his encounter from two nights ago. He was walking along one of the side streets of Low Town, fishing for any suspicious activity. Teach was with him, as per usual, and they hadn't found anything yet. Ace wasn't really looking. He couldn't focus. Knowing that there were two people outside of Whitebeard that uncovered his real name had him on edge. He couldn't really think of anything else.

"That kid's still bothering you?" Teach asked, laughing heartily at the commander's grumbling. He walked a little behind Ace, which was customary in the Whitebeard gang as Fire Fist was above him in rank. The kid was too naïve.

"Of course! The next time I see him, I swear-" His threat was cut off by a sharp jab to his back. The pain seethed through to his abdomen. His blood went cold. Ace slowly gazed down at his bare chest. The end of a sharp, shimmering object sprouted from his stomach. "What…?"

"Sorry, Commander, but you were an easy target," Teach stated, laughing as blood spilled out onto his hand and weapon. Its red gleam reflected in the tiny rays of moonlight that illuminated their figures. The commander remained unmoving, trying to figure out what the hell just happened and why his attacker was able to hurt him in the first place. He was made of fire – it shouldn't have worked. "Ever heard of haki, Commander? What about seastone?" Teach still hadn't removed the blade. Ace looked down at the knife. He analyzed it through his blurred vision, noting that it wasn't metal at all—stone, a type he was all too familiar with.

"You're…" Ace coughed. Blood streamed from his mouth onto his chin and dripped to the dirt by his feet. "…the traitor."

"Very perceptive of you, Portgas."

"…Why?"

"Call it fate," the attacker stated. Teach lunged his weapon further into Ace's flesh and twisted. The boy screamed out and went limp, almost fully supported by the blade in his gut that, in turn, continued cutting upwards into his flesh. He removed it and it seared his innards once more, allowing the young man to fall helplessly to the ground before he calmly left the scene, leaving his victim to whimper in solitude.

Ace was barely conscious. He curled into himself and fingered the wound, noting a large gap where his skin should have been. He laughed a little and entered a coughing fit, spurting more of that oh so important liquid onto the ground. It was ironic; he'd been so worried about Straw Hat and the Blue Gentleman telling his enemies his identity that he didn't bother to consider who the traitor was. Really, he couldn't help but think that he brought his fate onto himself. He didn't want to die yet. He didn't want to be alone.

"Damn it," he cursed, voice raspy an uneven. He tried to control his sobs, keep them bottled up, but he was scared. The pain became numbness. His vision faded into a simple recognition of colours and nothing else. As he slipped into unconsciousness he spotted a moving blur of blue and red. Then he shut his eyes.

* * *

The Blue Gentleman and Phoenix paired up to search for Ace. Neither trusted the other but Sabo felt obliged to aid their search. They all went out in pairs as a precaution, seeing as no one except Sabo knew just how strong Teach really was. The traitor hid his strength from the other members, he assured them, and shouldn't be taken lightly.

They arrived in a shabby area of the slums. It was like a desolate wasteland; not a single building had its lights on and there weren't any signs of human occupants. Truly an eerie location, if you asked Sabo.

He glanced over at Marco as they trudged down the empty street, looking in every spot for clues. The man's usual calm and unyielding demeanour was completely washed away by worry and anger. He'd been like that ever since Sabo explained the situation. Though the status of the missing commander was irritating to him as well, he couldn't help but take more interest in studying the Whitebeards. Unlike most gangs, they genuinely cared about one another. Truly. Their reactions were proof of that. It just pissed Sabo off more knowing that Blackbeard Teach had used that to his advantage.

Sabo was brought out of his thoughts and stood motionless among the dirt path.

"What is it, yoi?" Marco asked, heading nearer to the blonde. Sabo diverted his gaze and lowered his hat as the light from the lantern neared him. He backed away into the darkness but anger welled within. Fire Fist had potential. He was a hothead who was both disagreeable and violent. The perfect subject. A man who could very well make the greatest of leaders. "What the hell is this?"

The ground was covered in a fatal amount of blood, still partially wet from the attack. Marco composed himself and looked around for any more clues. That wasn't enough to declare Ace dead. It was a dangerous neighbourhood; it could have been anyone's blood. It wasn't long before he noticed that one side of the red pool was abnormal, giving the impression that the body was dragged. He hurriedly rushed in that direction, spotting a trail of blood along the way. And then he saw it—Ace's dagger, his only weapon, covered in a layer of thick red.

"Damn it," Marco cursed, clutching the sheathed weapon tightly. Sabo looked over, still keeping to the blackness. He saw the dagger and recalled it from his previous encounter with Ace. He remained wordless but his thoughts remained on the fire user's blood.

* * *

Luffy paced back and forth impatiently. Sweat beaded down his brow as he pulled his mouth into a taut line. He found a body—soon to be a corpse—and brought it back to his house in a frenzy. Looking back, it would have been much smarter to have looked Chopper and had him treat the man, but he wasn't exactly thinking clearly at the time. He knew he couldn't bring him to the hospital, no matter how much he wanted to; the man's injury was obviously the result of foul play and the authorities would be noted. Luffy recognized his attire well enough to determine that the man was Fire Fist and didn't want him arrested after recovery. He still needed to fight him, after all.

There was a knock at the window. Luffy dashed to the other end of the room and frantically attempted to open in. A young man hopped through. He was a little older than Luffy with tanned skin and gray eyes. A white hat with brown spots was placed over his dark hair. The man wore a small, confident smile as he looked from Luffy to an unknown body on the bed at the far corner of the room, knowing exactly why he was called.

"Law, hurry!" Luffy commanded, frantically showing him across the room.

"Try ordering me around again and I'll leave him for dead," he threatened. The smaller boy went silent and covered his mouth with his hands in an attempt to stay on the man's good side. Law turned and reached out the window for his medical supplies, consisting of a large case and some heavy machinery. Luffy helped carry it in, noting that the dark man's associate, Bepo, was dragging more luggage to the front door.

"You sure brought a lot…" he stated offhandedly.

"Of course. When you called me you said you found a _dead_   _body_  and wanted me to  _save_  it." Luffy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, only then realizing the mistake he made in his frantic call earlier.

They placed everything near the bed and Luffy rushed down to the first floor to let the strange polar bear in. As he did that, Law pulled the covers down off the injured man's body to see what he was dealing with. The blankets were bloodied and it was apparent that he'd received no proper treatment from his so-called saviour. With a sigh he opened his case and removed some of his tools, placing them on a tray beside the bed. He got out his surgical gloves and continued prepping for surgery as he looked over the giant gouge in the man's chest.

"Hasn't been your day," Law stated to the unconscious man. It was evident that the patient would need a blood transfusion. Bepo ran up the stairs with the last of the equipment and proceeded to test his blood type. Luffy soon followed. "Stay in the other room; you'll be in the way here," Law declared, putting on his mask.

"Okay!" Luffy rushed out of the room and down to the living room, thankful that Shanks had been gone the past few days and wasn't there to see the half-dead man resting in their spare bedroom.

Law's smile under his mask grew wider, almost sadistic, as he stared down and the torn flesh and innards of his newest subject. "Now then, let's begin."


	5. Patient

Six hours had passed since Luffy was ordered out of the make-shift emergency room and his patience was running thin. His eyelids drooped heavily as he tried to stay awake into the early hours of the morning and he wondered how Law was able to handle doing such an arduous task for hours on end. Well, he was grateful either way. If it wasn't for him, Luffy would be dealing with a dead body. Not that it would be the first time he handled a corpse—Law used to force him to tote around the dead animals he wanted to dissect when they first met—but never had he disposed of a _human_  body. Friend or enemy, he'd rather avoid that.

Groggy from lack of sleep, he swayed into the kitchen to prepare something with caffeine; coffee, perhaps? He wasn't fond of the stuff himself but he needed to stay awake. Really he knew nothing of Fire Fist, but he still wanted to know if the man died in his house or not. Despite the pessimistic thoughts racing inside his tiny brain, he trusted Law's skills just as much as he did Chopper's and knew he'd somehow make it through. The man was a medical genius.

After he finished making a pot of the brown drink, he poured himself a cup and tiredly began sipping at it, too exhausted to even realize that he was drinking it black, which he hated. He turned to head back into the living room and was met with familiar gray eyes. He spit out the hot drink all over the floor.

Law stood, calm as ever, in the doorway to the other room. His clothes were dyed a deep red, soaked and dripping, and his face held one of the most eerie smiles Luffy ever saw. Clearly the procedure didn't go exactly as planned, seeing as so much of the patient's life juices were on the surgeon. The man looked like the prime suspect in a murder case—one that would be locked away without trial.

"Did you kill him?" Luffy asked shakily, wiping the drink from his chin.

"It's alive," the surgeon stated. Luffy ignored the man's blatant lack of compassion towards his patient and breathed a sigh of relief—no digging for him tonight. "For now."

"What do you mean?"

They both headed into the other room and fell onto the couches across from one another. Law removed his soaked gloves and stretched his muscles, glad to finally have a chance to rest. He noticed the boy was gawking at him with large, worried eyes. With a smile, he mentally stored that image in his brain; being his prime subject for so long, Luffy's reactions were something he was always interested in; that and how his ability altered his body's makeup. He was still waiting for the day he could operate on the rubber man and see how his insides worked. That could wait.

"He's stabilized but if he moves around I guarantee he'll die." Despite the gravity of his words, he wasn't affected in the least. It didn't matter much to him.

"He's that bad off?"

"The cut did more than just graze some of his organs. I'm amazed he survived at all." Luffy nodded in understanding. Though Law was blunt, not knowing the meaning of the word 'subtlety', he never lied. That was something the teen was always thankful for; he was never good with the complex, circular explanations doctors used when telling families that their loved ones wouldn't make it. He wanted to thank him but saw that the dark man wanted to speak and kept his mouth shut. Law _hated_ being interrupted. "But I'm curious, Straw Hat, as to why you picked up one of your enemies."

"You noticed?"

"It was obvious."

Luffy sighed, remembering that Trafalgar's knowledge of the Underground almost rivaled Sabo's. "I don't like seeing people die." Really, that was the only reason he could give. After everything he went through during his childhood he felt compelled to help those who were hurt. Well, he  _wanted_  to help, but patching up wounds was best left to Law and Chopper. "So, what about him?"

"I'll visit daily to check on his condition. You can do the rest."

"What do I do?"

"Don't let him get out of bed. I suggest keeping constant watch over him." Luffy made a mental note to relay the situation to his friends from Low Town. He would have to leave a lot out, though. "Now, my payment."

"…You're going to get my kicked out of High Town, you know that?" He cringed, remembering the cost of Law's services in the past.

"You're a noble; I'm sure you'll manage."

"How much?"

"He'll need constant care for about a month. Then there are pain killers, treatment, equipment…"

"Get to the point." Law was usually blunt so Luffy knew the amount would have to be ridiculously high for the Surgeon of Death to drag on as he did.

"One hundred million beli."

He shouldn't have asked.

* * *

"Find anything new, yoi?"

"No. Whatever Teach did with his body, he made sure we wouldn't find it," Thatch explained, eyes heavy with exhaustion. They were all in the same state, having searched relentlessly throughout the night. No one could stand to sit and relax while wondering what that traitor was doing with one of their beloved brothers.

"It's strange," Sabo interjected, fingering his chin. The boy had insisted he assist them in their search even though he was the first to deem Ace a lost cause. They appreciated the stranger's support. After a night of tireless wandering everyone was starting to trust the Blue Gentleman a lot more. He gained their respect, as they did his.

Sabo's main reason for helping them was a rather personal one. He liked Fire Fist, yes, but not enough to care so strongly about his death. The blonde had a deep-seated hatred for betrayal, having been personal witness to it throughout his life. His desire to slash Blackbeard Teach to ribbons was stronger than his interest in the Whitebeard gang, curiosity about the man's motives and sorrow over the young man's end. Traitors were the worst of scum.

"What?" Thatch asked, ears perking at the Blue Gentleman's statement.

"Blackbeard wants recognition. He wants to ally himself with the World Government—for what, I don't know. He  _should_ have left the body there. Unless he plans on showing the government officials his head…" The blonde's voice faded as he paced in the dark cellar, running through the possible scenarios in his head.

The other commanders argued amongst themselves over the boy's words. Each of them was at their wit's end and, quite frankly, they couldn't stand the thought of their comrade being used as a bargaining chip. Who could blame them, though? He was their little brother—family—just like the rest of the gang. What's worse was that he was murdered by one of their men. It was sickening.

"Old man," Sabo began, adjusting his hat so that the light didn't show his face, "I have a proposition."

"What?" Newgate asked, leaning in forward to show his interest.

"A temporary alliance. That trash pissed me off and I want to go after him, but I don't have the man power to. You do."

"And?"

"And I have an intelligence system that blows yours out of the water."

The man thought it over for a minute, watching the eager faces of his men. Apparently his sons and daughters were starting to take a liking to the brat, and rightfully so; he'd more than proved himself. Though his mouth could use some work, he was a rather trustworthy fellow, someone who would make a great asset. So, realizing that, the old man gave him a nod with a wry grin.

Sabo smiled wickedly for the first time in hours. His vigor returned and he was back to his confident self, going over the traitor's imminent death in his head. "Smart choice, good sir."

* * *

Luffy sat at attention as the man stirred in his bed. After four days without movement he was starting to worry, but it appeared things were finally looking up. He prepared to hold him down in the case that he might try to sit up, knowing that if he made that big of a movement the gouge in his abdomen would open. He'd been changing Fire Fist's bandages twice daily—per Law's instruction—and rubbing ointment on the surrounding area to ward off infection. He'd gotten a nasty infection during the first few days of his stay and a horrid fever accompanied it. After ridding him of that burden he wasn't about to let him get it again.

Seeing as he was tending to the wound so often, he knew how bad it was. Every time he went to clean the barely covered hole he had to resist the urge to wretch. It wasn't exactly a beautiful sight and Luffy would rather not see the man's innards again should it reopen.

Fire Fist coughed dryly. Luffy rushed to a small table in the room and grabbed a glass of water from its top, moving hurriedly back to the bed and taking his usual seat. Law mentioned that, should he wake, he would no longer need the feeding tube and breathing mask and could be given some water. While he dared not go near the tube, he felt the least he could do was remove the mask. And so he did.

The young man's eyes squinted open. Immediately he shut them at the reveal of a blinding light. Luffy took note of that and walked to the far wall, dimming the lights to a more appropriate level for the patient's sensitive eyes. He then returned to his post and bounced in place excitedly while waiting for the formerly half-dead body to open his eyes again. The days he spent caring for the man had been long and arduous, causing him to long for the friends he could not see, but seeing him wake made the whole experience worth it. It felt nice to help someone.

Ace attempted a second opening of his eyes, noting that it was clearly much darker and less painful for him to see. He could make out blurred objects and colours but nothing more as his sight adjusted. There was a strange mix of strong smells entering his nostrils; latex, disinfectant and other unnatural substances were among them. He cringed at that and blinked the sleep from his vision.

"Thirsty?" Luffy asked, not really knowing what else to say. He held the glass near to the man's face and waited.

"What the hell happened?" Ace asked, completely ignoring the boy's question and dismissing him as one of the members of the gang.

"Dunno." The raven-haired boy watched as the older attempted to sit up. Without hesitation he pushed him back down, gentle yet forceful, and held the squirming form beneath him. There was  _no way_  he was going to clean up another pool of blood—Law left him to that the day of the surgery and it was not a pleasant experience. He stayed his position as the man beneath him cursed low in his breath and fought him off, failing miserably due to the pain the movement caused in his gut. "Don't. If your wounds open up you're going to die—for real this time."

"What?" It was only then that the freckled boy became aware of the clearly abnormal feeling in his chest and waist. He stopped struggling and watched as his vision fully adjusted. He was surrounded by hospital equipment. An array of different tubes and wires were attached to his chest and arms, each conforming to their own use. There was an IV in his left arm and he contorted his face in disgust.

"Just don't move," the young voice commanded softly and the small hands on his shoulders released their grip. He looked the boy over and didn't recognize him as a Whitebeard. He was young and short with a wiry frame. Above his lacking muscles was a formal-looking shirt covered by a blazer that was clearly not something you would see in Low Town. He felt his stomach knot as the thought of the kid being a noble crossed his mind. Disgusting.

"Who are you?"

"Well…" For a moment he was tempted to use his alias just to see the man's reaction. Surely it would be worth it, but he promised Nami he would be careful and he needed to keep his word. Introducing himself as Straw Hat would definitely be breaking that agreement. "I'm Luffy."

"That's not what I was asking." Ace eyed the boy's clothes and flashed his gaze onto the massively spacious room they were in. Luffy took note of that and focused on a random point on the bed sheets to hide his sullen expression. He wanted Fire Fist not to notice their setting or his prim attire. That was a hopeless wish.

"Have a problem with nobles?"

"A few, yes," Ace replied sharply, glaring daggers at the stranger while formulating a plan to get out of there and back to Oyaji. He didn't feel safe and the fact that he couldn't even sit up didn't ease his anxiety.

"Well, whatever." Luffy shrugged the comment off, having been surrounded by remarks like that while in Low Town, and gave the man one of his famous grins. This seemed to confuse Ace, as he watched with a questioning yet hesitant gaze. "Say what you want. I'm just excited to see you awake."

"How long was I out?"

"About four days." At that comment the fire user attempted to shoot out of bed but the pain overwhelmed him and he shrunk back under his sheets. Luffy groaned at Fire Fist's persistence, noting that he would probably act the same in that situation, and fixed his sheets so that they went up to his shoulders, fearing that the slightest of draft could make him sick. "If you open that hole up I'm not going to help you." He said that in the hope of knocking some sense into the man.

"Why the hell am I here?" Memories of the last time he was awake and Teach's actions rushed through his mind and he pieced together what happened, but that didn't explain why he was saved by a  _noble_  of all things.

"I found you bleeding out and brought you back here."

"What was a blueblood like you doing in Low Town?"

Luffy tensed every muscle in his body as he noticed his fatal error. Regardless of what he said, Ace's suspicions were raised. There was no saving himself. "You should take a drink; your throat's dry," the bug-eyed teen stated, returning his grip to the glass of water and shoving the straw into Fire Fist's mouth before he had a chance to protest. The older man glared but submitted to his thirst and quickly downed the cup, only realizing then just how dry the inside of his mouth was. "I'm going to get some food. Yell for me if you need something." The teen hurried to the door before he could be questioned any further.

"Hey," Fire Fist began, voice stern and powerful despite his vulnerable state. Luffy turned to see the freckled man watching him, seemingly fumbling with what to say in his head. "…Thanks." He averted his eyes while saying that, finding it strange to show gratitude to a noble of all things, but satisfied that he did. He peered to the younger boy out of the corner of his eye once more and watched as his face broke into an impossibly large grin.

"Shishishi!" With that laugh, the boy was gone from the room, leaving Ace to his thoughts. He found that strange giggle of his oddly familiar but couldn't place it and instead wondered about just how he ended up being cared for by the blueblood—in his house, no less.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a large yell from the boy who was now located in a different part of the mansion. He strained his ears to listen, curious over his sudden outburst. He only made out the first word.

"Sabo!"

* * *

"Not so loud," the blonde ordered groggily, holding his head to stop the ensuing migraine his little brother caused.

"You look like shit," Luffy stated, gawking with blank eyes at his sibling as he motioned for him to come in. He led Sabo into the kitchen where he was preparing dinner. If any nobles outside of their small group were to see that, they would scoff at him for not having a cook. They didn't have any servants, for that matter. If they did Shanks and Luffy would constantly be uncomfortable, not to mention whoever worked for them would probably catch on to their sudden vanishings and the ragged attire mixed in with their more formal suits. And then there was the problem of where the servants came from, but that wasn't something that was openly spoken of. "I haven't seen you in days!" he exclaimed, happily adding more to the whopping amount of food he was cooking to allow his brother to join him.

Sabo removed his jacket and slouched onto one of the kitchen chairs, exhaling noisily as the relief of finally being able to rest set in. He hadn't had a chance to relax since the night Teach made his move. In fact, that was his first return to High Town since then. The exhaustion was getting to him. "I've been in Low Town gathering intel for Whitebeard."

"I thought you were done with them."

"I did, too, but then that asshole Teach made his move. Killed a commander a few nights ago." He noticed how the younger of the two paused at this. The boy continued to watch the sizzling meat but it was evident that his entire demeanour changed. Both of them understood too well how damaging betrayal could be. They had been its victim many times in their shared past. It left scars, of both the physical and emotional kind. Sabo still hadn't recovered, hence why he isolated himself from nobles and regular civilians alike. All but a select few. "We've allied for now. I want the bastard's head."

"Damn scum," Luffy muttered low in his voice. He then adjusted the meat and tried to fixate himself on the task, lest his anger explode. People like that pissed him off.

Sabo's gaze searched across the room in attempt to find a new topic to explore. Being the protective older brother that he was, he didn't want to burden Luffy any more with talk of something so dark. He knew how sensitive the boy could be, despite never showing it. After all, he saw him in his most vulnerable state – cold, beaten, and crying after the incident in his past. They were both so young back then…

His eyes settled on a red-stained, white cloth that was partially sticking out of the open garbage can. The blonde rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be seeing things from lack of sleep, but found that the item was still there. He stepped from his seat and neared the bin, seeing that most of it was filled with long cuts of that ret-stained cloth. That amount of blood was unnatural.

"Luffy…" His voice faded as his mind scanned through all of the possible scenarios that could have led to such profuse bleeding.

"Hm?" The boy turned to his older brother questioningly.

"Did you kill someone?"

Luffy thought back to all of the times he'd treated Ace's wounds and changed his bandages. He bled each time, resulting in another blood transfusion after the first two days, a scolding from Law and an increase in his debt. He'd been planning to dispose of that waste—which solely contained items used to treat the injured man on the second floor—but Law stated that he would get rid of it properly that night and so he left it.

"…Almost." He watched with amusement as Sabo's face drained of colour, clearly wondering what to do with his possibly deranged younger sibling. "He survived it though." At the sight of the blonde's relief, Luffy let out one of his trademark laughs and finished cooking the mound of meat.

"Who?"

"One of those Whitebeard guys—that one that you told me about."

"Fire Fist?"

"Yeah!"

Sabo stumbled back into one of the chairs and fell on it, the new information overriding his previous assumption of the commander's death. He was both relieved and confused. After seeing that pool of blood four nights earlier he didn't think anyone could survive.

"He's alive?" His voice was shaky and shocked, matching his expression. He had to ask, just to be sure. After all, he didn't need to get his hopes up.

"Yep! He just woke up." Luffy beamed as his brother relaxed more.

Sabo was relieved to find out the man was alive, but had to rethink the situation. That changed everything. What to do…


	6. Wounded

Ace sat upright in his bed – the brat noble finally allowed him to – and glared dangerously at the man before him. With gray, darkly-rimmed eyes, the man stared back at him smugly, smiling devilishly at the patient. He recognized him, to some extent, with his black hair and tanned skin, as well as that all too familiar spotted hat. He knew him, alright. The question was: what was the  _Surgeon of Death_  doing in a noble's mansion, of all things?

Luffy stood near the room's entrance, unsure whether or not he should intervene. Law had come in through the window, as per his usual routine, and was met with a very awake Fire Fist. He wasn't worried about Ace sitting up – if Law didn't say anything then there was no harm in it – but the tension in the air was stifling. Clearly Fire Fist recognized his doctor, which was a lot less surprising than it should have been. Trafalgar had been active in the Underground for well over three years, just as he had. Unlike Luffy, though, he was very open about his identity. He wasn't afraid to show his face to his enemies. No; he was a proud, cocky bastard if ever there was one. Worse than even Sabo, maybe.

The blonde in question was standing on the other side of the partially-opened door, looking in through the crack. After their rather informative conversation in the kitchen twenty minutes earlier, he wanted to assess the commander's health with his own eyes. He wasn't about to walk in, though. Oh no, he wasn't that stupid. Having just returned from Low Town, he was still wearing the garb that flaunted his identity as the Blue Gentleman. So he would wait, come back. But first he needed to see the man with his own eyes.

"So you finally woke up," Law stated, giving him a mocking glare. Despite his blatant disregard for the man, he looked him over to make sure his wound didn't open up. Not that he would mind if it did – having to stitch it up again would increase his profits. The little noble paying for Fire Fist's treatment would have the money to spare.

"Why the hell is someone like  _you_ here?" Ace hissed, narrowing his eyes on the familiar form before him. He'd never officially met the Surgeon of Death, but he'd seen him around. The man was downright creepy, with intense eyes that could see right through you. Rumors had it that none of his patients survived, hence his title, but Ace didn't know anything for sure. He did his best to keep away from the shady bastard regardless.

"Should you  _really_ be saying that to the one in charge of your life?" Trafalgar's tone was playful yet the slight upward curve of his lips was unsettling. That was not an expression you wanted to see on that man's face.

"What?" Judging by Fire Fist's reaction, he hadn't been fully briefed on his situation.

Law took a few steps closer, wanting to get the introductions over with quickly so that he could begin his patient's daily treatment. "I am your doctor, Sir Portgas." He was amused by Fire Fist's shock. He probably didn't expect the surgeon to know his name. Or be the one taking care of him. "I'm going to check on that nasty little hole in your abdomen."

"The hell you are!" He shouted, losing his temper. He wasn't about to let some kid – the Surgeon of _Death_ , no less – mess with his injury.

Before he had a chance to threaten him further, the brat noble stepped in. He leapt to Ace's side and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Luffy could see that he angered Fire Fist by touching him, which was a response he often elicited as a noble, but dismissed it. He was already very well aware of the man's prejudice and didn't need another reminder. Getting him to accept Law's treatment was more important.

"Listen to him," Luffy commanded, voice stern yet gentle. He didn't want to make the freckled youth any angrier but something had to be done. His waking didn't mean anything; the wound was still far from healed and without Law he could be in serious danger. "He saved your life. You'd be dead without him," he stated, attempting to be as blunt as his doctor friend. Luffy suspected that Fire Fist was a lot like him and wouldn't fully understand the situation unless it was spelled out to him.

Ace tensed at that last bit. He looked from the noble to the gang boss warily, pondering those words. After a few moments of this he relaxed his muscles and resigned himself to the surgeon's aid. He watched the dark man and didn't look away even once as he approached. Gray eyes stared back, amused. Then the man with the spotted hat was at his side, asking the noble to assist him in removing the bandages on his torso and waist. They peeled off his skin with a sharp pain. It felt like they were tearing the hole open again but before he could protest the bindings were removed and a sterilized, wet cloth was dabbing away at the residue from the ointment they used.

As the water passed over his skin, he felt the grime from whatever was used to ward away infection wash off. Then when they started going around the entry and exit points of his wound, he couldn't help but wince. Even for someone as strong as him, pain like that was hard to tolerate. It showed just how bad off he really was. As the last of the ointment was cleaned from his chest and back, he felt the same gooey substance being reapplied.  _Great_.

After realizing how bad Luffy was at cleaning the wound over the last four days, Law found himself needing to help his annoying friend. His incompetence in the field of medicine knew no bounds and without Law's assistance he was sure Fire Fist would get worse instead of better. He didn't need the patient dying on him; that would mean a cut out of his profits, which was part of his deal with Straw Hat.

"Be glad; your infection hasn't returned," Law stating, ignoring Ace's confusion as he removed his surgical gloves and turned to the short, bug-eyed teen. "Get him food. Something light."

"Okay!" Luffy beamed cheerily, remembering the soup broth he'd cooked along with his and Sabo's dinner. He bounced out of the room and as he opened the door Ace could have sworn that he saw something blue in the doorway, but dismissed the thought in favour of keeping watch over the Surgeon of Death who was looking at the vast array of machinery hanging around the bed.

"Why are  _you_  hanging around a _blueblood_?" Ace finally asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Trafalgar snickered at this, analyzing the equipment as he thought over the answer. "He's an interesting specimen." The look on his face said that there was more to it than that. Of course, he wasn't going to get an answer out of him that easily. The man kept his identity known throughout the Underground but personal details were kept…personal. "Don't like the residents of High Town, do you?"

"They're disgusting," he barked, going over his darker memories, the ones that held his encounters with those rich, high-end pricks. All of them were trash as far as he was concerned. No, wait; there was that one kid from before. He couldn't remember what he looked like, but that mini noble made a big impression on him. Of course, by now that boy's honesty would be replaced by the deceit and lacking morals the residents of High Town were known for. That made him even angrier.

"I suggest you don't lump that kid in with the rest of them." With those words Ace was snapped out of his thoughts and back to his conversation with the surgeon. He looked up into those gray eyes, awaiting further explanation. "You're lucky he's the one who found you. No one from the slums could afford my fees and no other blueblood would have bothered to get you help."

"Fees?"

"I don't work for free. Luffy offered to pay all of your expenses." Law felt strange calling Straw Hat by his real name. He'd been using his alias for the two years the boy had it and hadn't called him "Luffy" since they were much younger, before he'd even performed his first operation. If it wasn't for his friend's obsession with keeping his identity a secret, he wouldn't have used it.

"How much are we talking about?"

"Since the hole in your gullet kept reopening, I'd say we're up to almost two hundred million beli."

Ace felt his skin go cold, imagining a number he'd never reach. That amount of cash was definitely not a normal rate for medical care. The worst part of it was that he was now indebted to a  _noble_. What the  _hell_  happened while he was unconscious?

* * *

Sabo followed behind Luffy, arms folded behind his head. Though he had never gotten a clear view of Fire Fist's face back in the Whitebeard base, the man's fiery temper shone through and he confirmed his identity. No one else had as short a fuse as he. Or as bad an attitude. The two nobles had been standing behind the door for a small bit of his conversation with Law, clearly noting him saying they were "disgusting" in his snarling rant. Sabo didn't mind much. Hell, he received comments like that almost daily, really it wasn't something to get worked up over.

Luffy didn't take it with the same indifference he did. Maybe it was because he'd saved the man's life and, even then, was nursing him back to health. He had a nasty little habit of growing attached to the people of Low Town, probably because there were so few among his peers who he could trust. Sabo could tell that he'd grown quite fond of the commander, even if the man had been unconscious until then. He knew this because Luffy was willing to touch him; knowing the prejudices against bluebloods, he would usually stay away from them. Putting his hand on Ace's shoulder was more telling than it should have been – he trusted the overly muscular hothead. He shouldn't, but he did.

Luffy's face darkened after hearing that and he headed down the stairs with hurried steps. Sabo lagged behind, pondering over what he should say to his less-than-happy little brother. When they arrived in the kitchen he sat at the table and watched as Luffy reheated the broth. The silence was eerie.

"Taken a liking to him, huh?" Sabo asked, resting his head in his palm as he leaned over the table. Best just to say it outright, considering who he was dealing with. He saw Luffy twitch.

"It's just that…" His voice faded as he stirred the patient's meal absentmindedly. When he was thinking of something he always liked to keep his hands busy. "…He reminds me of myself, from back then."

Sabo blinked and looked to the ceiling, pondering that thought. When Luffy first returned to High Town…yeah, he acted the same. Complete distrust. After everything he'd been through, it was no wonder. That little boy from back then was just like a wounded animal trapped in a cage. Sabo remembered. He could still hear Luffy's shrill screams, calling out for a boy who would never come. Calling out to parents who were no longer there. All he could do for the child was sit against the other side of the door and listen, waiting for him to fall asleep in his tears. Ace was acting a lot like that, though he wasn't showing it much. Surely he felt trapped.

"So?"

"So…?"

"What are you going to do about it?" the blonde questioned, turning his wicked grin to face his little brother. The younger gawked at him, jaw slack as he waited for further explanation. "You wanna help him, right?"

After blinking a few times Luffy caught on to what Sabo was saying; he was giving his approval. Normally the older brother was strict and overprotective. He wouldn't want him to be near someone who might hurt him. But this time was different. This time he was telling Luffy to do what he wanted, regardless of how much Fire Fist seemed to hate him. He'd resigned himself to his little brother's whims. Knowing that, Luffy gave Sabo a wide, toothy grin. "Shishishi!"

Sabo rolled his eyes at how simplistic his brother's cognitive processes were. That's all it took to cheer him up. Hell, he didn't even have to mention the comment Ace made about how disgusting he found them. He didn't have to comfort him at all, really. Sometimes dealing with that empty-headed flake was too easy.

"Well, I'm going to head out."

"Already?" Luffy whined, watching his brother with a pout. "You just got here!"

"I know, I know. But I can't sit around. My surveillance equipment is at the damn mansion."

"Surveillance… Who are you spying on?"

Sabo gave the younger boy a most devilish smirk, hinting at how much trouble he was going to cause. No one who made themselves enemies of the Blue Gentleman ever escaped unscathed. Or conscious. "Blackbeard Teach. I bugged some of his hideouts and now I've got to go over the recordings."

"Oh." Luffy thought for a second. "If you know where he's hiding then why not go beat him up?"

"Unlike you, I plan things out." He laughed as his brother scrunched up his nose as though he were insulted. "I don't know much about him yet. At the very least I need to know what Devil Fruit he ate. And I'm still looking for his main base of operations."

"Why bother?"

The blonde gave him a look more maniacal than ever before, sending shivers up his spine. Whatever he was planning was going to be big. It might have the power to flip the entirety of the Underworld on its head. "I'm not just after him; I'm after his whole group. There isn't going to be a trace of him left when I'm through."

"Because he's a traitor?"

"Precisely."

The scary thing was that Luffy took every word seriously. He had to – it was Sabo who was saying it, after all. He always went through with his threats, no matter how outlandish. After hearing such a confident claim, he wouldn't be surprised if Teach's existence itself disappeared once the Blue Gentleman got a hold of him.

His brother marched out of the kitchen but stopped abruptly at the doorway. Luffy waited in confusion as his brother made one last statement. "When this is all over…" His voice faded but the younger could still hear the pinch of happiness in his tone. "…I think I'll be ready to take Shanks up on his offer."

After taking a moment to process that, the big-eyed teen's face lit up with more excitement than he'd had in a long time – Sabo would officially become his brother. He was plenty old enough to leave his household but was hesitant. He'd never had a real family before. Sure, he had parents, but they didn't care about him. He hated them his whole life. Shanks had offered to let him live with them countless times over the years but the boy was always very nervous about the prospect, worried that joining their family would change something. Finally he understood.

"I'm holding you to that! Shishishi!"

"I know you are." Sabo turned to get one last look at his brother before leaving and noticed something out of place. "Luffy, the pot…"

"Hm?" The dark haired boy turned around and shouted with alarm as the broth started boiling over. He rushed to stop it and burned himself like the clumsy moron he was. His older brother just sighed and shook his head, leaving amongst the chaos. Luffy was a bigger headache than he could handle sometimes.

* * *

The noble brat was starting to worry Ace. That Surgeon of Death left through the window for some reason or another and immediately afterwards he heard the boy scream. Before he had a chance to form a hypothesis for the outburst, though, the small boy surged into the bedroom with a steaming tray. As much as he hated to admit it, it smelled good.

"Sorry for the wait!" he said brightly, trying to catch his breath. Just what the fuck happened down there?

Ace nodded warily and watched the noble brat place the tray on a small table near the bed. It was only when the aroma was so close that he realized just how hungry he was. The boy stirred the liquid in the bowl, trying to cool it. He swallowed heavy, trying to ignore his hunger.

Luffy noticed him staring and smiled, knowing just what was on his mind. "Sorry that it's just broth. Law said you can't have solids yet."

"…Law?"

"Oh, right! Crap…" He shrunk back, realizing he'd used his friend's real name. Though the man was fine with showing his face to the whole of the Underground he preferred to keep his name for more intimate relationships. No doubt he was going to beat Luffy senseless when he noticed the slip-up. Oh well, he would forgive him…someday. "Remember the guy from before? That's his name."

"The Surgeon of Death?"

"Yeah! His real name's Trafalgar Law. Oh, but don't tell him I told you. He'd kick my ass."

Ace couldn't help but find the kid to be rather odd. He clearly didn't have the intelligence bluebloods were known for. He wasn't cautious either. Or maybe he was just oblivious. Either way, he was starting to understand why the doctor called him an "interesting specimen"; there was definitely something abnormal about him.

"Here!" Luffy beamed at Fire Fist, holding a tray out in front of him and placing it on the man's lap gently.

"…I'm not hungry," the freckled boy declared, barely able to contain his appetite. He couldn't trust some strange noble to feed him! The list of things that could be wrong with the meal was endless. The boy blinked at him as though he had three heads and looked like he was about to say something when he was suddenly interrupted by a violent growl from Fire Fist's stomach. Ace blushed and the boy went into hysterical laughter.

"It's not poisoned," he managed to state between breaths, wiping a stray tear from his eye. His reaction made Ace turn an even brighter shade of red. Once his laughter ceased and he noticed that the man wasn't eating he decided to try a different approach. "Want me to prove it?" With silence as his only reply he picked himself up from the chair and leaned in close to the patient to grab one of three spoons that lied on the tray. He dipped it into the broth and removed a tiny bit of it, quickly shoving the utensil in his mouth. "See?"

Ace's face flushed with embarrassment once more and he looked down at the tray to avoid the blueblood's eyes. He fumbled with something to say in his mind, wanting to drop the subject. "…Why are there three spoons?" Honestly, that was all he could think to ask.

Luffy tilted his head and thought for a moment. He remembered quickly that people from Low Town only used one spoon, one fork and one knife. It was stupid that it slipped his mind in the first place, seeing as he always ate like that at the base with his gang. Then again he wasn't one for thinking of small things like that. "We eat with three here…force of habit?" Why he placed three different spoons on the tray when he was only serving broth was beyond even his own comprehension.

Ace watched his reflection in the liquid. "You nobles…really are different."

The blueblood's face darkened at that comment. He hung his head, hiding his face with his bangs in an attempt to keep his thoughts to himself. Still, because of his big mouth he couldn't help but let one comment slip.

"We're not."

Fire Fist wanted to question him further but, after noticing his change of mood, decided against it. After eyeing the bowl a little longer he sighed and picked up one of the remaining spoons. He supposed that the boy wouldn't try to kill him, seeing as he had taken care of him thus far and was even willing to fork out almost two million beli for his medical costs. So he sucked it up and took his first bite. His eyes widened as he tasted food for the first time in days and before he knew it he was hurriedly wolfing down the rest of his meal, resulting in another burst of laughter from the blueblood. He blushed again. The boy was probably used to more refined table manners which he did not possess. He was mocking him, wasn't he?

"W-what? Got a problem with the way I eat?"

"No, I like it!" he announced between laughs, generating a confused response from Ace. He finished his fit and noted Fire Fist's wary expression. "It shows that you like it. The people here…they tend to take things like that for granted."

Strange words from a noble. In fact, everything about the boy was strange. He didn't act quite like the residents of High Town normally would. His appearance was exactly like one, though; neatly groomed, wearing clearly expensive garments, body thin and frail as though he hadn't worked a day in his life. He didn't have to fight to survive. He didn't have to deal with the violence and poverty that Ace had his whole life. So why…

"Why did you save me?" he questioned in as bold a voice he could muster. That had been bothering him ever since he first opened his eyes and he needed –  _demanded_ – an answer.

"What, you didn't want me to?" he teased. Ace's eyes narrowed and Luffy knew that he had to give him a proper reply. "I would never just sit back and watch someone die. Besides, if I didn't do it, who would?"

Before Ace had a chance to ponder over the boy's words he felt his eyelids grow heavy, no doubt a side-effect of the medication that damn doctor gave him. The world spun around him and he saw the brat noble rush to his side, remove the tray and gently push him down onto the bed. He mumbled something about getting some rest before the world went dark.


	7. Simple Conversation

Ace shot up from his sleep, panting and sweating. Just a dream. He took a deep, long breath and ran his fingers through his black waves. Calm down. Breathe. Taking a quick look around, he noticed that he was in the same large, spacious room as before, only now the windows on the far side of the room showed darkness. Night.

Sighing, he thought now would be the perfect time to take his leave. As he shifted to hang his legs over the edge of the bed, he noticed the dozens of cords still attached to him. One in particular – the feeding tube – caught his eye and he resigned to stay put. There was no way he was about to just pull it out to see what would happen, not to mention each movement he made brought forth indescribable pain. Even though he wanted to get back to the base and warn Oyaji about Teach's betrayal, he could do nothing but sit and wait. He'd gotten himself into one hell of a mess.

Fire Fist pulled himself back under the covers and jumped a little when he felt something hit his foot. He looked cautiously at the other end of the bed, spotting a dark figure. Squinting, he made it out to be the brat noble. The boy was sleeping, arms folded on top of the covers, head resting on them. Really, what a strange kid. Why was it that, even in the middle of the night, he was in there instead of his own bed? Damn blueblood…

"Makino…"

Ace jumped a bit when he heard the boy speak. He analyzed him to make sure he wasn't awake and tilted his head, testing the name out in his mind. "Who's Makino?" he whispered to no one but himself. Well, it didn't matter. He carefully lied back down and begrudgingly fell back into a deep slumber, the strange boy before him invading his thoughts. He really didn't like brats like him.

* * *

Ace glared at the tall blonde lounging on the other side of the room. Their eyes locked and both refused to look away, as though they were competing, or doing something equally as trivial. He'd just woken up to find yet another strange blueblood staring him in the face. Really, his stay there was more unnerving than it should have been. Wasn't he supposed to  _relax_?

"And just who the hell are  _you_  supposed to be?" he asked, voice coated in distrust and irritation.

"Your new babysitter," Sabo replied dryly, reclining back in his chair as he watched over the patient.

"What?" The blonde bastard sounded like he was picking a fight, saying shit like that. Already he didn't like him, noble or otherwise.

"Luffy's out. He asked me to keep an eye on you – make sure you don't do anything stupid." Really Sabo had volunteered but he would never say that. His little brother wanted so much to see his friends and, being the gentleman that he was, he offered to watch over Fire Fist while he was gone. He needed a day of relaxation anyways; after spending the entire night listening to recordings he wasn't in the mood to continue his investigations, especially after hearing what those tapes held.

"What am I, his pet?" Disdain was clear in his tone, making the blonde flash him an eerie grin.

"Sure, why not?"

"Jackass."

"Likewise, monsieur."

Whoever that guy was, he already hated him. Ace narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look at the man through his partially blurred vision. He saw a head of short, blonde hair and dangerous, dark eyes that dared him to try something. Those eyes weren't those of a noble, and yet his attire told a different story: he was wearing something resembling a suit only much more casual. Having no experience with High Town clothing, he didn't know what to call it. Definitely not normal and certainly dressier than the garb the brat had on.

Sabo had decided to forego his usual ensemble for something less eye-catching and more common among High Town fashion. He didn't like being seen by any sort of adversary but for Luffy he would endure. Didn't feel right to confront someone from Low Town without his top hat, though. Well, he would just have to bare it. He  _really_  didn't need to be discovered by someone as slow-witted as Portgas – that would be a major blow to his ego.

"So who are you, exactly? A friend of the brat's?" Ace questioned, having had too much of the awkward silence between them.

"Yes and no."

"Which is it?"

"It's complicated."

Ace rolled his eyes. This one was much more difficult than that empty-headed, bug-eyed boy from the night before. "And your name?"

"Wouldn't _you_  like to know?" the blonde teased, causing Ace's shoulders to morph into tiny flames.

"Why you-" His rant was cut short.

"Sabo."

"…Huh?"

"My name, it's Sabo."

Ace blink a few times, giving the man a blank expression. He didn't expect an answer. The blonde seemed to be really secretive and cautious, greatly contrasting the other noble he'd met. Really, he just couldn't understand the people from High Town. They were strange in every sense of the word. "Didn't expect you to tell me."

"Well, it's only fair," he stating, smiling knowingly at the other. Fire Fist tilted his head at that, eyeing him suspiciously.

"What do you mean?"

"I already know who you are, Fire Fist Ace," Sabo declared, leaning forward as he watched the larger man in front of him tense, eyes scurrying around the room to look for the closest escape. "Relax, I'm not going to do anything. I'm not much of a fighter, anyways." He lied through his teeth with that last bit. He did it just in case Ace started to notice the similarities between him and the Blue Gentleman. Plus he didn't need the muscle-head to freak out, injure himself and increase Luffy's debt to his surgeon. The boy was already tapping into the grocery money Shanks gave him which, considering his appetite, was a very daring move.

"H-how do you know that?" At this point the fire user wasn't even trying to hide the trembling in his voice. Why did everyone know who he was?

"That's a story for another time, my friend," declared Sabo as his creepy grin was replaced by a much softer smile. No point in riling up a half-dead gang member, he thought. "Don't worry; Luffy and I won't say anything. We're not in the habit of screwing people over." Well, that wasn't entirely true; Sabo made a business out of screwing people over, but just this once he would withhold the information.

"He knows, too?"

"More or less. I wouldn't dwell on it, though. He's taken a liking to you."

"I don't see why," he replied, thinking back to his treatment of the brat noble from the night before. He made it perfectly clear to the kid that he wanted nothing to do with him but the boy kept pushing. Why? Was it just a noble's whim?

"I don't, either." Sabo sighed and folded his arms, thinking back to how broken his little brother looked when he heard Fire Fist say he was "disgusting". He knew that Luffy was sensitive to topics like that, yet the moron continued to think highly of the patient. At that point any disappointment he might experience he brought upon himself. "Luffy's just like that. Your identity's safe. However…" He looked Ace dead in the eyes in a "no bullshit" kind of glare. "You do _anything_ to hurt him and I may be inclined to revoke that statement."

The freckled boy was taken aback by the dead-serious tone in the blonde's voice. Up until then he'd been rather playful, simply content with teasing him. Now his face was covered in dark shadows, threateningly watching his every movement. "I don't see why you're hiding a fugitive in the first place." Probably not the best thing to say in his situation, but he could think of nothing else so it would have to do.

"Trivial shit like that doesn't matter to me. Besides," he began, leaning back in his cushioned seat and watching out the window, "it's not like we're on the greatest of terms with the Low Town law enforcement. They don't take kindly to bluebloods; I'm sure you're aware."

"How could I not be? It's because of nobles that the whole city's screwed over."

"Exactly." Ace's eyes widened. He didn't expect the bastard – what was his name? Sabo? – to agree with him. After all, he was insinuating that he and every other resident of High Town was responsible for all of the horrible things the people of Low Town were forced to live through. Anyone who was poor would agree in a heartbeat but why would a noble blame himself? "Which is why I'm wondering how Lu managed to haul your half-dead carcass through the gates."

Ace was wondering the same thing. "Lu? What's that, some sort of pet name?" He snickered at the thought, trying to rile the man up. If he was anything like the people Fire Fist knew, he would at least get a little irritated when he heard that mocking tone.

"Yes, actually. I've known him long enough to call him that. You, sir, have not, and therefore aren't allowed that privilege."

"Like I'd even want it, dumbass."

After a long, quiet pause, Sabo burst into unceremonious laughter. Why was he laughing? Hell if Ace knew. The people he'd met since arriving there were completely abnormal. Rather than hating them like he did other nobles, he just found them disturbing. They were still disgusting, though, nothing would change his opinion on that. Talking to one in person, though, was…surreal.

"You're an interesting man, Fire Fist." His response was a growling stomach from said patient. He placed his hand over his mouth to hold back his giggles as Ace went red with embarrassment and threatened to hit him. Through his fit he pointed to the bedside table where a bowl of broth was placed, no doubt leftovers from the day before. "You can have that for now. Trafalgar's going to remove the feeding tube sometime today and he should give the OK for feeding you solids. Just hold out 'til then."

Ace begrudgingly picked up the tray with the bowl, trying to mask the fact that he could barely resist the aroma. He noted that there was only one spoon; the brat had listened to him. "So, what, you're going to get me real food after this?"

"Oui, monsieur." He held in his amusement as he watched Fire Fist, realizing right away that he just wanted to chug the whole thing. Whether he admitted it or not, it was obvious he liked what he was given. Then again, considering what the people in Low Town had to eat it was no surprise. They didn't exactly have five-star dining in the slums. "When Luffy gets back he'll fix you something."

"What, he cooks?" He let out a bit of a mock chuckle at that. "Doesn't he have servants or something?" He saw the blonde shake his head and tilted his own in confusion.

"Luffy and his father do everything for themselves. They don't much care for wandering eyes straying about the place." Huh, interesting. So they were the only ones there. But apparently that explanation was only part of the story. "And they prefer to keep away from the human slave market."

"Slaves…?"

"Correct." Sabo turned away from the man, not willing to look him in the eyes as he elaborated. He was ashamed of his peers for what they did, but the truth of the nobles was darker than the residents of Low Town realized. He didn't know why he was saying all of that – he shouldn't have – but something about that boy made him  _want_  to tell him. Well, there shouldn't be much of a problem, so long as he didn't explain the course of action he'd taken as the Blue Gentleman. "When they don't want their children they'll either throw them away or sell them for profit. They're usually bought and raised as slaves. Cuts on costs when they don't have to provide any paychecks." His face turned sour at the last bit, reminiscing over some memories he'd rather forget. How he was born into such a corrupt society was beyond him. People in the slums didn't know how well off they had it.

"What the hell…? They use their own  _kids_?" Ace thrust his spoon back onto the tray, having lost his appetite. It baffled him that the blonde could say all of that with a straight face. What, was he a part of it as well? "How can you stomach that?"

"Don't lump me in with the rest of them," Sabo commanded, voice sharp and dangerous. "I'm not…Luffy and I aren't like those bastards, alright? If we were you wouldn't have been brought here, understand?"

Ace nodded, not daring to say anything more. The look in the blueblood's eyes was dangerous; their fierceness said that if he pressed the issue further he was going to regret it. Normally he would have accepted a challenge like that, especially when his foe was some scrawny noble, but in his weakened condition he could hardly put up a fight. Also, there was definitely something off about that man. That was becoming more apparent with every word.

At Ace's acknowledgement Sabo's features softened to an almost melancholic expression, tiny smile arriving on his lips. That brought back way too many bad thoughts. So he stood from his seat, composed himself and walked over to Fire Fist. He placed a gentle grip on his shoulder. "Eat. I'll be back in a minute." With those words he left the room, not turning around even once.

* * *

"Luffy!" a tiny reindeer shouted as he hopped into the black-haired boy's arms, embracing him tightly as though they hadn't seen each other in years. The rest of the crowd followed suit, calling out to him and prancing to his side.

"Hey! Shishishi!" He waved at them, his small friend still tightly gripping his waist. He glanced over at all of them with that impossibly large grin of his. They all relaxed their shoulders, feeling a weight lifted from their chests. They were lost without him. After five days of him being absent the base felt empty and dark. But now he was back.

"Where were you?" Nami questioned, worry evident in her tone.

"Huh? Didn't you get my letter?" He'd sent one the morning after he found Ace, so it definitely should have arrived.

"Of course we did, idiot! But you didn't exactly tell us what was going on; you just said you were going to be away for a while!"

"Oh, right." Luffy placed his fist in his open palm in a visual show of his understanding. At the time he didn't really know what to say and decided he'd make something up when he saw them next. After all, he couldn't really say he had the Surgeon of Death resurrect their half-dead enemy because he wanted to fight him one day. He didn't need Nami killing him. "I was helping a friend."

"A friend?" Ussop echoed, blinking absentmindedly. As far as they knew, they were the only friends Luffy had. Apparently that assumption was incorrect.

"Yeah. He's really sick so I'm taking care of him. I can't stay long." He saw his sniper friend pout, bottom lip sticking out, while Chopper followed suit. He laughed a bit weakly and then looked to his blonde, curly-browed friend amongst the group. "Sanji! Food!" They all rolled their eyes at this.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved the smaller boy's comments away and headed to the base's kitchen.

"Hey, Sanji, could you make something for my friend too? He's hasn't been eating much lately."

"Yeah, whatever, shitty Leader."

"Shishishi! Thanks!" he beamed, watching the man in black head out of the room. Though the cook acted annoyed, Luffy knew that he was happy to help out. That man was a lot kinder than he let on, especially when someone was sick or hurt. Knowing that Ace's meal was in good hands, he spun around to the rest of his friends. "What did I miss?"

Luffy looked fondly at each of his friends. Oh how he missed them. After being away for almost a week he felt like a piece of him was missing. Outside of his gang there were very few people he placed his trust in. Sabo and Shanks were unbelievably supportive and were there for him throughout the vast majority of his life. Law – well, Law was…Law. He didn't go out of his way to help Luffy or anything but he was always there, even if that wasn't necessarily a good thing. He was a person that the young noble could stay with to just forget about his status and past, letting the harsh memories blow away with the wind. But even then, he really needed his gang; they kept him from hating himself. They were from Low Town and had accepted him with open arms. His nakama. Maybe that would change once they found out who he really was, but for the time being he was happy.

They all smiled at him, faces lighting up as they gazed upon their leader. Really, he was such an amazing person. When he was around they could forget all of their troubles, all of their pain, and just live freely. They were happy. If it wasn't for that Straw Hat boy none of them would have met and all of them would be hurting. He saved them for that. It was because he was so important to them that they kept finding themselves wanting to know more about him. Where did he live? Who were his parents? Did he have any siblings? What about that friend; who was he? Someone who was important to Luffy?

Seeing that smile made them drop all of their questions and shove their thoughts to the backs of their minds. How could they ever ask him those things – doubt him – when he'd done so much already?


	8. Trust Me

_Sabo stood staring, dumbfounded, at the tiny, crying child a few feet away. The boy was in hysterics and he didn't know what to do – how to console him. Being alone together, the only noises were the muffled sobs that sounded throughout the room and down the hall. Gripping the bottom of his shirt, the blonde could do nothing but watch and wonder what would make him feel better._

_"What's wrong?" he asked, brow furrowed with concern. When he received no response he trotted up to the younger kid and went to give him a calming tap on the shoulder, but as he raised his hand the black-haired child flinched away and made a move to cover his head with his arms._

_"P-please don't!" he sputtered, trying to hide the quivering in his voice._

_"O-oi, I wasn't going to hurt you…"_

_"I don't want to go back!" the boy stated, lowering his arms in favor of burying his head in his lap. "I want to see my brother," he cried._

_"Brother? Where is he?"_

_"Low Town," he sniffled, looking at the slightly older blonde for the first time, hopeful._

_"Low Town?" The boy's face turned dark and he shook his head hesitantly, seeing the disappointment in the younger one's eyes. "You can't. You're hurt."_

_At that, the child's eyes welled up with large, salty tears. They fell onto him, staining his clothes. "I want to see him…"_

_"I'm sorry. When you're healed you can ask Shanks to bring you there."_

_"…Shanks?" He held back his sobbing with a quivering lip._

_"He's the one who brought you here, remember?" He waited for the boy to nod. "We're going to protect you from now on, 'kay?"_

_Bright eyes shone up at him, drying slowly as he watched the blonde's smile. "…I don't have to go back?"_

_"No; never."_

_"But, my brother…I don't want to be alone…"_

_"You aren't!" His smile broadened and he ruffled the boy's hair. "You have big brother Sabo with you!"_

_"Sabo?"_

_"Yep! That's my name. What about you?"_

_"…Luffy."_

* * *

"Sabo. Oi, Sabo."

He felt a hand gripping his shoulder, shaking him lightly. Tired, dark eyes peered open to a familiar room – the one he stayed in whenever he was at Shanks's house. Hovering over him was a bug-eyed noble, with whom he was well acquainted. His brother. Straightening himself out at the familiar sight, he yawned and stretched, adjusting his senses to reality. Really, after having a dream like that, he just wanted to curl up and doze off again. Sadly, that would have to wait. "Must've fallen asleep," he stated as he rubbed his eyes, not bothering to keep up appearances when in front of family.  _Real_  family.

"Are you okay? I'm usually the one taking naps…" Luffy's voice trailed off, concern coating his tone. He was right in stating that the action was unlike him – Sabo was always alert, never faltering – but even he needed a break once in a while. He was human, after all.

"I'm fine. I went through all the tapes last night and-" He cut himself off just in time, noticing the freckled boy sitting in a bed across the room.  _Shit._  He must have passed out while babysitting. What's worse was that he'd almost let out some vital information. If he continued there was no doubt that the muscle-head would have discovered his identity. Then everything would go to hell. He mentally kicked himself for being so relaxed, especially during one of his plans. If he said anything out of the ordinary everything would be over. Stay on edge.

"Mornin', Blonde Bastard," Ace greeted, having already forgotten the blueblood's name, giving him a spiteful look. He saw the noble's true, unrefined nature just then and would not soon forget it.

"You're cheery as ever, I see."

"How could I not be, surrounded by nobles?" he asked sarcastically. The blonde fell asleep two hours earlier and hadn't moved at all during his rest. Ace was tempted to take advantage of the situation but quickly stopped himself, understanding that he needed to stay in order to keep from getting worse. His wound was a lot deeper than what he thought when he first awoke, he realized, and he would use the brat noble's whims to his advantage. So, for now, he would play along – observe them.

Ignoring the fire user's threats he straightened out his suit and fixed his appearance to a more appropriate standard. He knew that if he showed up at his parents' mansion as he was he would, no doubt, be looked down upon. That really wasn't something he wanted to deal with, especially if he would be leaving them to join Shanks and Luffy after his latest scheme. Yes, things were looking up, but lowering his guard could cause everything to fall into shambles. He had to stay clever.

"Since the pet's owner has arrived, I shall take my leave," he stated, listening to Ace's angered snarls from behind him, mentally grinning as he got a rise out of the man; he was easy to tease, just as Luffy was.

"Awe, but why? I just got here!" Luffy pouted. His older brother smiled apologetically, sad he couldn't spend any time with the boy. Golden light drew in from the windows, announcing that night would soon follow. He had to go home to get his clothes before he could take off.

"Sorry, Lu. I have to go to the meeting with-" He paused to stop himself from saying Whitebeard's name, remembering the eavesdropping ears that rested against the far wall. "-my clients."

"Okay…" The younger resigned, sighing heavily as the older blonde did up his blazer and headed out of the spare bedroom, leaving two awkward enemies in silence. Before the tension could get too thick, Luffy followed after Sabo, away from the room and down the stairs. He'd prefer to see him off properly. "You're seeing the Whitebeard gang again?" he asked, clearly concerned.

"Yeah."

"What's your plan?"

"It's…" Sabo thought for a moment, hand on the door handle. He traced its metal build beneath his fingertips, mind wandering. How was he supposed to answer that? Knowing Luffy as well as he did, he was certain the boy would fly into a rage when he heard the scheme he'd concocted, but it was the only way. No one could find out – not Newgate, not Teach, and especially not his adoring younger sibling. He didn't want to be hated. "Luffy, I need you to promise me something," he stated, spinning around and firmly grasping the younger one's shoulders.

"…Okay." Luffy was clearly uncomfortable. He swallowed hard to keep himself from asking questions. Sometimes Sabo would be very secretive. If he was pressed on a matter he could quickly become angered. His brother didn't mind, though, because he knew the truth; Sabo was scared. Whenever he kept secrets he was doing so to keep Luffy from worrying, because he wasn't sure everything would be alright. This only made the younger worry more, but he would keep quiet. He didn't want the blonde to know.

"No matter what happens," Sabo began, taking in a deep breath, "trust me."

"I will."

"Thanks, Lu."

* * *

_Luffy lay in bed, just as he had every day for the last month. Too weak to stand, that was all he could do. It wasn't long before he heard quick footsteps approaching. He sat up, resting his back against a pillow, to greet his visitor – someone he was coming to know very well. The door flung open to reveal a blonde with a large, toothy grin. He smiled back, thankful for the older boy's daily visits._

_"Sabo!" he cheered, arms flailing in excitement. The boy retracted his appendages when he realized his movements were pulling on his chest wound. He winced and grabbed gently at the bandages._

_"Don't hurt yourself," Sabo said, taking his usual spot next to the headboard, smiling at his little brother. It wasn't long before the tiny boy with large eyes scanned over the blonde's body, noticing large welts and bruises that weren't there before. His big brother often came to visit him hurt and half starved, never mentioning his injuries. His brow furrowed in a show of concern._

_"What happened?" he asked, gently touching a purple area of skin on the older boy's forearm, causing him to thrust backwards to get away from the pain._

_"It's nothing, don't worry about it," he stated, laughing it off._

_"But you're hurt!"_

_"It's fine." Sabo reached out and cupped his brother's cheeks, pulling his head close so that their foreheads rested against one another. "You trust me, right?" he questioned with a tiny, frail smile._

_"Yeah…"_

_"Then focus on getting better so you can find your brother, okay?"_

* * *

Luffy entered the room that held the patient, the meal Sanji made sealed tightly in his hand. He smiled lightly at the freckled man, trying to hide his concern. He remembered that day, seeing his brother beaten and broken, hearing him ask if he was trusted for the first time. The smile he held when Luffy said yes. The next day he didn't visit. He disappeared for so long and it wasn't until much later that Luffy found out what happened that night. He didn't want that happening again.

The boy snapped his thoughts away from Sabo and he bounced over to the patient, placing the meal on the bedside table. He grinned.

"Hungry?"

"…Yeah, I guess…" Ace turned away, not fully wanting to admit it. He also didn't want to deny it, seeing as he was laughed at both times he did. He hated the fact that he was being cared for by anyone, much less a noble, but swallowed his pride in favor of his life.

"Did Law remove your feeding tube?"

"…Yeah." He grimaced. That was an encounter he would much rather forget.

* * *

_At around noon, only an hour after Sabo and Ace's heated discussion, a hand popped into view from the other side of the window. Ace blinked absently as he watched the blonde bastard shuffle over to unlock it. The glass pushed outward and a familiar man with a medical bag hopped over the sill. Narrowing his gray eyes he smiled devilishly at the sight of his patient._

_"You came in broad daylight; I'm impressed," Sabo stated almost teasingly as he watched the surgeon straighten himself out._

_"Str-Luffy said the old man's out. I'm not fond of sneaking around." Damn, he almost slipped up. It was because he was talking to the Blue Gentleman, of all people. Something about him made people slip up, giving him whatever information he wanted. If Straw Hat's identity was discovered by the slow-witted gang member he'd have to pull some of his earnings as compensation and he wasn't about to let that happen. He wasn't rich._

_"Yet you still came through the window," Sabo noted, flashing a wicked smirk at his old associate. The darker man's eyes narrowed._

_"Scrutinizing as ever, I see."_

_"Indeed I am."_

_They pulled their glares away from one another in favour of eyeing Fire Fist. Law approached him, fingering a set of sterilized surgical gloves. "Are you ready, Sir Portgas?" he asked, mockingly, excited to see the large man's fearful gaze. He always liked the scared expressions of his patients – made him quite proud._

_"For what?" the fire user stuttered, watching as the Surgeon of Death readied a needle._

_"For me to patch up that little hole in your stomach, of course." He finished preparing the needle and held Ace's hand steady. "You want to be able to eat, don't you?" There was a hint of amusement in his tone, which was the last thing Fire Fist wanted to hear. He looked pleadingly at the blonde bastard at the other side of the room, asking to be saved, but his only hope simply sighed and shook his head, leaving the room._

_He felt the IV jab into his hand and within only minutes his vision faded. The last thing he saw was an apologetic blonde noble. Everything went dark._

* * *

Luffy opened a large container, allowing steam to escape. The tantalizing aroma surrounded Ace. He gulped, his mouth watering. This meal was on a whole other level than the broth he'd received, and that was much better than his usual food to begin with. It was hard to resist the urge to snatch it off the table and swallow it whole.

"What's that?" he questioned, trying to keep himself from doing anything embarrassing.

"My friend made it for you," Luffy replied, removing smaller containers from the larger, each containing its own unique recipe and flavour. "It'll help you get your strength back."

"Oh." Ace had to admit that he was rather surprised; the brat noble was bothering to actually think about his health. How odd. Nobles weren't exactly known for their caring, especially when food was involved. How many starved to death when he was a child? He realized quite a while ago that these nobles were different from the ones he remembered. He couldn't let his guard down, of course, but they earned a sliver of his trust. Just a little. And so, for keeping him alive, he'd best show his gratitude. He wasn't without basic etiquette. "Thanks…for this…" he mumbled, scratching his head and looking at the sheets over his legs.

"Shishishi!" the boy laughed, holding the first part of his meal in front of his face. The weight in his chest lifted after hearing those words, thinking that perhaps he could be liked by a person from Low Town who knew his identity. Or at least not be hated. "Eat it slow!" he commanded, excitement welling up within him as the older man took the container and gave him a grateful nod.

Ace sniffed it first before tasting. It wasn't long before he wanted to eat the entire thing in one swallow, but he minded the younger's words as he was mostly likely quoting the Surgeon of Death. So, he took slow, careful bites to keep from upsetting his stomach. Really, the taste was exquisite. The quality of even the best Low Town meals could not compare. "This is really great," he announced offhandedly, forgetting he was talking to a noble. The boy just laughed. "You bluebloods live in a completely different world."

"Not true," Luffy stated, smile fading. He would keep his more personal thoughts to himself. "That was made in Low Town."

"No way," Ace said in disbelief. He looked to the food and back at the noble, confused. He wasn't serious, right?

"Yep! My friend's a  _really_ amazing cook and he lives there. I paid him a visit to get that for you."

"Why would you visit the slums?" He resigned himself to believe the boy only because he seemed too honest to lie with a straight face – another rare trait for the people of High Town.

"I…" He really shouldn't have said that. He _really_  shouldn't have said that. Crap. Now what? There was no way he could tell him he was that super rookie who took out two of Whitebeard's members a week ago. No, that was the last thing he could say. Saying that he frequented Low Town would also be suspicious, seeing as nobles rarely left the safety of their walls. "I had business there."

"Business?" It didn't sound like the fire user was buying into the lie. Well, it was partially true.

"Yeah! With someone from overseas." Hopefully that was believable enough. Nobles would often come from other countries to make deals with the residents of High Town. They would have to pass through Low Town to get to their destination, however, and would often be escorted by a local blueblood. He went with Shanks to do this once or twice when he was little, so he remembered fairly well. Sabo had done that almost monthly for the majority of his life. He would go on his parents' behalf. His brother was always really bitter about going along with what they said. Luffy never pressed the matter.

Ace didn't look convinced but he dropped the matter in favour of something that was bothering him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Luffy replied, a little worried that he was catching on. He had to stay focused! Play ignorant!

"What's this I hear about human slaves?" he inquired, dead serious as he continued his meal. The noble was taken aback by the question and so he would wait for him to regain his composure.

"…Who told you about that?"

"The blonde bastard."

"Sabo?" Luffy was more than just a little surprised. His brother never talked about that to anyone except, of course, he and Shanks. That was very touchy subject for him. Why would he tell a perfect stranger about it?

"Yeah, that guy. I don't think he told me everything."

"Then I can't, either."

"Why?"

"He would get angry if I did." He noticed Fire Fist's confusion and decided he deserved at least some form of explanation. "Sabo's trapped."

"Trapped?" Well, he wasn't expecting that. He didn't really know what to make of it. He expected to hear about the slaves, not about some smartass blueblood.

"He's in a cage but he doesn't want anyone else to know. If I told you I would be putting him at risk, so I can't."

"Why would a noble be put at risk for talking about slaves?" The smaller boy simply watched him with a serious glare, saying nothing, waiting for him to figure it out himself. Ace's eyes widened as he put the pieces together in his mind. He didn't expect what he found. "You can't be serious…"

Luffy turned away and looked out the window to hide his face. He really had let on too much already. Sabo would no doubt tear off his head when he realized that he gave Ace a hint, but there was no going back now. He couldn't say any more.

"Sometimes being a noble is worse than living in the slums."

* * *

_Shanks burst into the room accompanied by five doctors, briskly walking past Luffy's bed to the one beside it. There was a tiny form in his arms – one with red-stained blonde hair. The small child had a breathing mask on. Tubes and wires attached to his body connected to the machines the doctors were dragging alongside Shanks, careful to keep close enough that nothing would be misplaced._

_"Sabo…?" Luffy watched his big brother as he was gently lain out on the next bed. Though his skin was clear of it, his clothes and hair were soaked with blood. His small torso was covered in fresh bandages along with his arms and forehead. The exposed areas of his skin were blackened with bruising, minor abrasions scattered throughout. He had a black eye and was almost unrecognisable. "Sabo…" Luffy's eyes welled with tears._

_Shanks stepped aside to let the doctors fiddle with the machinery and his young charge's positioning. He felt a tug on his robes and looked down to see large, glassy eyes staring up at him with concern. "What's wrong with Sabo?" the five-year-old choked out, trying not to cry. His brother stopped visiting him six days earlier and had now returned in horrible condition._

_"He's just a little hurt right now. He'll be okay." The boy was more than 'a little hurt,' that much was clear to even his young brother._

_"What happened?"_

_"Sabo had a bit of a fight and it got out of hand."_

_Shanks stayed for the first few hours but eventually needed to get some food and left. Luffy was the only one in the room when Sabo woke from unconsciousness. The blonde looked around with tired eyes, trying to get a feel for where he was. It clicked when he spotted his crybaby younger brother and the memories of the last week flooded into his mind. He remembered._

_"Sorry I didn't visit you," he whispered with a faint smile, unable to speak in his usual volume._

_"S-Sabo…" Luffy cried, hopping out of bed to rush to his brother's side. He peered over the mattress that was a little too tall for him and watched the blonde with bloodshot eyes. His face was worn, aged by medication and pain, dark circles closing around his eyes. "What…what happened to you?"_

_The older boy thought for a moment and decided it best to avoid the question. What would he do when he heard? How bad would he feel? Sabo didn't need pity. He didn't need to worry the younger of the siblings any more than he had. After all, he was supposed to be the one protecting him. "It was my fault. Don't worry; I won't let it happen again." Even he could hear the strain in his own voice. His throat was still raw from crying and screaming._

_"But what happened?" Luffy cried, worry only increasing._

_"You trust me, right?"_

_"…Yeah."_

_"Then don't worry. I'll be fine."_

_"But Sabo-"_

_"I'm fine."_

_"…Alright."_

_Sabo smiled brightly at the other, ignoring the pain that rose when he did so. He slowly lifted his battered arm to ruffle the younger's black strands, easing his anxiety. "What did a miss while I was gone? Tell me everything."_


	9. The Pipe

"Oyaji, I found this at the entrance to our Eastern base," Thatch announced, holding out a small device.

"Hm?" Whitebeard turned to the commander and eyed the item in his hand; a baby den den mushi. He raised an eyebrow and took it, studying it further. There was a black paper taped securely to its shell. Upon closer inspection he noted the white outline of a top hat. It didn't take him long to realise who it belonged to. "The brat's?"

"Yeah, I think. He must have left it for us," he stated, throwing his arms behind his head. He couldn't understand that kid, no matter how hard he tried. The boy hadn't contacted them since their search for Ace ended and, while he understood that they weren't necessarily allies, he wondered how they were expected to help each other. Sure, Whitebeard had a lot of man power and the Blue Gent was talented in finding out things nobody wanted him to know, but couldn't he have taken Blackbeard on his own? Of course he was glad for the support, but there was something strange about it; that kid was known for his fighting and, however much he didn't want to admit it, could probably take out some of the commanders singlehandedly. Was he just being cautious?

Before he could delve deeper into that thought the snail began making noise.

_Purupurupurupuru. Purupurupurupuru._

Aside from the old man, he and Marco were the only ones there and the phoenix wasn't exactly in the mood for a meeting, so that left him and his boss. Oyaji placed the den den mushi on a stand beside his massive chair and answered the call. He waited.

"Greetings, gentlemen," a voice chorused through the snail's mouth, far too familiar for them to forget. His tone was confident and bold, as always. "A fine evening, is it not?"

"Oi, oi, get to the point—we're a  _little_ stressed out right now, you know?" Thatch said, lacing his words with exasperation. After losing one of his brothers he didn't want to deal with the Blue Gentleman's games. They heard a sigh.

"Very well, then, Thatchy." The older man grimaced at his choice of a nickname; it was the same as what some of his fellow commanders would call him and he hated it. "I've gathered some  _juicy_ intel," he stated proudly. Even though the blonde wasn't there with them it was clear he was grinning.

"What is it?" Newgate asked, resting his cheek on his knuckles.

"Blackbeard Teach was never after Fire Fist."

The room fell deaf. Marco heard from the far end of the space, his normally lidded eyes opening widely. Both commanders' mouths were agape as they tried to understand the boy's words. He killed Ace for no reason?

"…What do you mean?" Marco asked as he neared Oyaji, brows knitted together in serious contemplation.

"Ah, Phoenix is there, too?" They remained quiet, a little surprised over how well he could identify their voices after barely hearing them talk. "Teach wanted someone worth more to show off to the government. He wanted one of you."

"Then why would he kill Ace?" Thatch questioned as anger and frustration welled in his gut.

"Convenience." The Blue Gentleman paused to allow the word to sink in. "He was an easy target. But he made a bit of a blunder."

"And what's that?" Newgate's voice bellowed, watching his sons intently.

"He didn't expect officials to ask for the corpse. Didn't take it."

"Then where is it, yoi?" Marco asked, folding his arms to keep himself calm. The murder of his family member caused one type of anger he couldn't supress. With Ace dead, it was hard for him to keep his temper – which very few people knew he had – in check.

"That's the thing; Fire Fist—" Before the Blue Gentleman could finish there was a loud clank. All went quiet. Then shuffling was heard. Banging—gunshots. " _Shit_!"

"Oi, what's going on over there?" the 4th division commander asked, listening to the shifts and scuffles coming from the snail's mouth.

"Nothing, I'm—" Something metal scraped against stone before a foreign voice was caught, too quiet to understand. Then there was a loud, metallic slam followed by a thud. "—entertaining guests."

" _Guests_?"

"Very  _energetic_  guests." The blonde's voice was uneven and lacked its usual prowess. They could hear his den den mushi fall to the ground and shortly after there was a bang. The quiet returned. "I have business to take care of, gentlemen. Adieu." Before they could respond the line went dead.

"…What the hell just happened?"

"Not sure, but I don't like it, yoi," Marco replied, thinking deeply about what he heard. It was definitely a fight, but with who? Why? He knew he should doubt the boy, seeing as he was keeping something from them, but it was hard after all the help he'd given them. Something was off about the whole thing and, by the looks of it, Oyaji had reached the same conclusion.

"What should we do?"

"We wait," Newgate answered, deep voice resonating through the underground cellar of their base. "I won't risk any more of my sons. I trust the boy, for now."

The commanders faced each other and then turned back to their boss with curt nods.

* * *

Sabo sighed as the man he had strapped to a chair lost consciousness—couldn't handle the interrogation, he supposed. It was probably a good thing, seeing as he had to call Whitebeard for their 'meeting'. As a result of circumstance, he couldn't be there in person. Giving one last glance to the bloodied man he picked up his baby den den mushi—the one he used for his Underground business. As he waited for the line to be answered he fingered the edges of his mask. He was wearing it because the place he used for his interrogations had enough light to show his enemies his face. Didn't like how it felt, though.

There was a click, signalling that someone had picked up. He didn't bother to wait for him to speak.

"Greetings, gentlemen," he began, turning away from the light hanging from the ceiling. He placed his hand on the table and put all of his weight on it, getting into a more comfortable position. "A fine evening, is it not?" He stared out a small window located in the center of one of the stone walls and saw the stars and moon, noting that the light they brought with them meant he had to be careful while returning to High Town; the bit of extra brightness could tip off any pursuers that might tail him home. Ordinarily he could stick to the shadows and vanish in minutes but on as fine a night as that he would have to take extra precautions.

"Oi, oi, get to the point—we're a  _little_ stressed out right now, you know?" he heard a voice shout slightly. Giving a smile no one could see, he recognised him as Thatch. He was well aware of what the commander meant, seeing as he'd been keeping eye on Edward Newgate's moves as well as Teach's. The gang was searching for information as well, hoping to—at the very  _least_ —recover Ace's body for a proper burial. Funny enough, the corpse they were so desperate to find was in his brother's spare bedroom,  _alive_.

"Very well, then, Thatchy," he teased, disappointed his fun was over before it began. "I've gathered some _juicy_  intel." While saying that, he glanced back at the man tied to a chair a few feet away, wry grin on his face. It was rare for him to dirty his hands but every once in a while stealth wouldn't cut it. This was one of those times.

"What is it?" So the old man was there after all, huh? Good—he was hoping he wasn't only speaking to the 4th commander, seeing as Newgate needed this information far more than any other. He stopped to wonder about what to ask in exchange for his services once this whole ordeal was done and over with.

"Blackbeard Teach was never after Fire Fist." This wasn't really the most interesting of what he'd gathered and was simply what he heard from the goon behind him. What was on the tapes would remain his knowledge alone for the time being. He would need it later on.

Silence. If that was their reaction to something as small as that, what would they do if they were told Portgas D. Ace was alive? He snickered, imagining the looks on their faces.

"…What do you mean?" That was a surprise; after how affected Marco was when Ace 'died' he expected the man to refrain from attending meetings for a while. Was he there so he could be a part of Newgate's 'avenge Ace' plan?

"Ah, Phoenix is there, too?" Since no one bothered to say anything he assumed he was correct. "Teach wanted someone worth more to show off to the government. He wanted one of you." Though Fire Fist was a great asset with a heavy bounty on his head he was new to the gang—joined about a year ago—and before then he went rather unknown. The commanders above him had eluded the government for a long time. Marco had been on their most-wanted list for two decades. Jozu and Thatch were a force to be reckoned with, as well. Needless to say, Teach would prefer a more known catch and so Ace was targeted simply because of circumstance.

"Then why would he kill Ace?" The man was gaining a temper.

"Convenience," Sabo began, and then paused. "He was an easy target. But he made a bit of a blunder."

"And what's that?" Finally Newgate was engaged in the conversation. He needed the gang boss to hear this, to gage his reaction. He wanted to see if the man known as the ruler of the Underground could catch the meaning behind his words.

"He didn't expect officials to ask for the corpse. Didn't take it."

"Then where is it, yoi?" No, not you, Marco—let Whitebeard reply. He needed to know what he thought of that. Still, it was interesting to hear the agitation in his voice. That man was known for how laid-back he was. Was he close to Ace before he 'died'?

"That's the thing; Fire Fist—" A loud clank rang behind him. He spun to see that Blackbeard's goon was awake. Not only that; the chain holding him to the chair was severed into small links at his feet, yet he had no weapon to cut it. A Devil Fruit user? He didn't think of that. They stood still for a moment and the enemy eyed the gun Sabo confiscated on the ground between them. They both lunged at it. He cocked the gun and Sabo clasped his wrist, yanking the barrel from his masked forehead. The man in black fired in quick succession. The first bullet pierced Sabo's shoulder while the other two missed when he repositioned their arms, narrowly evading the blonde's ear. " _Shit_!"

"Oi, what's going on over there?" He could hear Thatch's voice from the dropped den den mushi on the floor as he struggled to dominate the enemy. Having no other option, he relinquished his hold and backed up to give his armed appendage a kick, knocking the pistol out of his hand. Before the enemy could react he dove to the ground, grabbed the firearm and held him at gunpoint. They both froze. Seeing that the man's retaliation stopped, he backed up and held the snail once more.

"Nothing, I'm—" His foe took that moment to charge him. Sabo tried to shoot but the gun was empty. The man probably knew that.  _Shit. Shit. Shit._

He crouched low and ran across the room to latch onto a metal pole that resembled a pipe; it was his weapon of choice. It appeared his opponent recognized it from their earlier scuffle because he visibly paled. Sabo dragged it along the ground, creeping closer with a wry grin hidden by his mask. The tables turned.

"Y-you won't get what you want," he declared, voice trembling as he watch the infamous Blue Gentleman approach. Sabo just smiled wider.

Without warning he sprinted at the man and slammed him across the skull with the pole. He dropped in seconds. Knowing that he was definitely unconscious now, he prepared to speak into the transponder snail once more. What was he saying again? "—entertaining guests."

"Guests?"

"Very  _energetic_  guests," he elaborated, kicking the downed man's side a few times to see if he would flinch. If that bastard faked it again he'd pound him until he was unrecognisable. It was bad enough that he could hear shifts around the building, indicated the enemy's company. Well, he was hoping there would be a challenge, but then he noticed how many there were. His jaw hung low as he saw their forms from the window. He dropped the den den mushi in shock. One of the goons outside the window raised his gun. Sabo tucked and rolled and the bullet zoomed past. He regained his composure, knowing that the last thing he needed to do was space out, as he recovered his grip on the snail-phone. "I have business to take care of, gentlemen. Adieu." He hung up and readied his pole.  _What a fun night._

He rose from behind the wall and jumped through the broken glass into the fray, smashing his pole across the shooter's head. His nose cracked and contorted. Blood coated his face and spewed from his mouth as he gripped the broken area. He cried out, falling to the ground. Sabo simply whipped his pole to get the excess red off its end.

Three men shot in unison but the Blue Gentlemen managed to dodge the bullets by leaping into the air. His foot came crashing down on one of their stomachs, sending the victim plummeting to the ground without breath. Someone came at him with a sword. He had some skills, but not enough. Sabo met it with his pole but the other two men continued to shoot. The bullets hit their weapons and luckily didn't damage his, other than making two small dents on its side. There were five others. Normally he would dominate in a situation like this. This wasn't a routine situation, though; he was hurt and bleeding fast.

He pushed the swordsman away and propelled forwards, planting the end of his pole on the man's neck, stopping just short of breaking his collar bone. Heaving heavy breaths, he turned. Who's next?

Suddenly the area was tinted in colour. He paused in recognition, looking around as the goons' body parts were dismembered, yet remained alive. The severed limbs and heads floated above as he spun his head around, looking for his acquaintance. It wasn't long before he spotted a dark man with a white and brown spotted hat.

"You're off today," Law noted, sauntering up to the blonde as his hands danced, swinging the bodies around his sphere. He stopped to take note of the shiny red gleam leaking onto Sabo's jacket.

"The  _friendly_  fellow inside decided to play Russian Roulette with my shoulder."

"That's your excuse?"

"Indeed it is."

"Why am I inclined to think that you provoked him?"

"Me? Never."

"Tell me or you can bleed out—your choice."

"…You play well, my friend."

"I try." Law meshed the different bodies together before releasing his sphere. The two quickly took out their alien forms and headed into Sabo's tiny hut. Upon entering he kicked the unconscious figure of his attacker once more, just to be sure. Law opened his case and removed a few bottle of antiseptic and lotion along with his gloves and tools. The bullet was logged deep in the blonde's shoulder still. "Remove your clothes."

Uncharacteristically, Sabo nodded and obeyed. He took off his jacket and white—now partially dyed red—shirt, revealing a gently muscled chest covered in different forms of scars. Law recognized all of them; hell, he _treated_  most. He began inspecting the wound and pressing on different areas, causing the blonde to cringe. "How is it?" he questioned while wincing.

"It missed the bone, fortunate for you. Nothing you haven't dealt with before."

"It would be interesting to see a wound I  _haven't_  already suffered, Trafalgar," he teased. There was a lot of truth in that statement.

"So?"

"What?"

"Tell me—unless, of course, you know how to dislodge a bullet without damaging the surrounding nerves."

"Persuasive. You remind me more of myself every day. Makes me proud." Law gave his shoulder a rough tap, causing him to convulse and curse under his breath. He recognized this as the point where he had to speak seriously with his associate. "Blackbeard Teach—heard of him?"

"A member of the Whitebeard gang?"

"Former. He's the one who 'took out' Fire Fist."

"Explains the gaping chest wound. Go on." Law took his tools and spread the flesh apart carefully, locating the bullet. He heard the blonde whimper at that and gave in to the upward curve of his mouth. He saw the Blue Gentleman in the worst states of his life. He'd seen him cry out and scream in pain when even Luffy had not. Being a surgeon meant that you bore witness to the most desperate depths of humanity.

"I was doing a little  _'checking up'_  on his motives. Seems he's got one hell of a war strategy cooked up."

"Know what it is?"

"Not fully, hence my  _friend_ over there."

"Keep me updated. I've been looking for some fun," he stated with a wicked grin as he finished cleaning, stitching and wrapping the wound. He gave his shoulder a pat just to see him cringe before he moved to replace all of his tools.

"What brought you here, anyways?" Sabo asked, rubbing the sore spot on his arm.

"Straw Hat."

"Luffy?"

"I went to check Sir Portgas and he asked me to keep an eye out for you."

Sabo sighed. "How much does he know?"

"Only that you're being uncharacteristically immature."

"…Shut up."

* * *

Sabo flung the bedroom door open, not bothering with keeping up appearances. After waking up with a throbbing shoulder wound and a medical bill that made even a noble like himself shiver, he wasn't in the mood for making up witty banter to go along with his visit. He saw the perplexed look on Portgas's face, probably wondering what happened to his usual bravado and why he was visiting in the first place.

"Babysitting, dear Portgas," he said simply as he dragged himself across the room and collapsed chest-first in his favourite padded chair, wishing to return to his earlier slumber. He spared himself the questioning glance of the fire user by burying his face into the seat's arm. "Luffy has…business," he mumbled into the fabric.

"In Low Town?" Sabo flinched at that. How much did his brother spill? The man had only been awake for a few days!

"Perhaps. I didn't inquire." An eerie stillness filled the room. Seeing as the man would usually never shut up, it wasn't hard to figure out that there was something on his mind. Luffy was the cause, no doubt. He picked himself up and sat properly in the chair, eyes narrowed to show his seriousness. "What did he say to you?"

"N-nothing," Ace stuttered, looking down at his sheets. He could still feel the blonde bastard's eyes on him, looking through him.

" _Portgas_ ," Sabo began, his voice dangerous and threatening, "tell me."

There was a long pause in which the fire user composed and glared right back into those wild, dark eyes. He swallowed loudly, indicating that the topic was a difficult one. "When you mentioned the slaves," he paused for a breath, "what did you mean when you said that you two aren't like the other nobles?" That question had been on Ace's mind for quite a time. He wanted to know. What made those two act so unlike the other bluebloods? What made him not hate them? Why did he find himself actually  _wanting_  to know more about his saviours, who he had previously rejected?

"Just what I said. We're different—that's all."

"What I want to know is  _why_."

"No reason, really."

"You're lying."

"Am I?"

"You are."

"And what makes you say that?"

Ace paused, knowing he was going to regret his next words. It really wasn't his business—just forget it and talk about something else. Ask when that mentally unstable doctor was going to be around next. Inquire about the room they were in. Ask for food.  _Anything_. "…You're a slave, right?" Anything  _but_  that, you idiot!

* * *

Omake

Law: -writes out bill and hands it to Sabo-

Sabo: ...This is robbery! No way my treatment was worth that much.

Law: I  _am_  a criminal, you know. Besides, it was a difficult procedure.

Sabo: Difficult  _how_ , exactly? You were talking to me the whole time—must not have required much conversation.

Law: That's because I'm a medical genius, Blue.

Sabo: -reads over bill- And what's this? Anesthesia? You didn't give me  _anything_  for the pain. Wait...why didn't you?

Law: No time.

Sabo: ...Why do I not believe that?


	10. A Letter and a Word

"So…what is it, exactly?" Usopp questioned as they all stood in a circle, gawking down at the folded black paper on the table. He poked it once as though it would do something. Naturally, nothing happened.

"A letter," Zoro stated with arms folded in concentration as his eyes scanned over the surface.

"I know that! I meant who's it from—what's in it?"

"Not sure. We found it when we got here," Sanji explained, taking a deep drag of his cigarette. That morning had been nothing but bizarre and it was starting to take a toll on his nerves. If there was just one more surprise in that day even his addiction wouldn't be able to settle him. Something about this wasn't right.

"Where?" the sniper asked, turning to the blonde. Sanji exhaled, smoke dancing around his mouth.

"Right there."

"…On the table?"

"Yeah."

"… _Inside_  our base?"

"Do you really need me to repeat myself?"

The colour drained from Long Nose's face until it became sickly white. Not only was their hideout discovered but the perpetrator  _entered_  it without anyone noticing. They were in danger. If it was that easy for an enemy to slip by them the base was no longer safe. They would have to relocate.

Usopp noticed a small, white figure in the corner of the paper. As he leaned in to analyze it the metal door behind him flung open wildly, making him jump and cry out it fear. After hearing a quick "Shishishi!" he identified the perpetrator as Luffy. The fact that his own boss entering the hideout made him scared showed just how much tension was in the air—tension that their friend with the straw hat was unaware of.

"Sanji, food!" he shouted in his normal routine, hopping nearer to the crowd. When he didn't receive a response he tilted his head and stared at all of them, noting the seriousness in his gang members' expressions. "…What's wrong?"

No one answered. They looked at Boss before fixing their eyes on the problem at hand. Luffy took a few steps closer to see what they were all concerned about—a black piece of paper with the white outline of a top hat. His face turned grim. He was far too familiar with that symbol. The question was: why was it there and what was Sabo trying to tell him?

"Luffy, do you know anything about this?" Nami asked with suspicion clear in her tone. The boy shook his head profusely, doing his best not to let anything slip. "It's the Blue Gentleman's calling card."

The rest of the group paled; what would someone as powerful and influential as that man want with the likes of their small gang? Something was definitely wrong with this. They turned to their boss for answers.

"Would you happen to know something about this, Leader?" Robin inquired from where she was sitting. She twisted ever so slightly to look Luffy dead-on. Her gaze was locked onto his, causing him to sweat bullets—what did she know?

"No, nothing!" No one believed him.

"I can't believe you!" Nami gave an exasperated sigh, pressing her palm to the side of her head. "I told you to be careful, didn't I?"

"…Yeah."

"Then why is  _he_  after us? Do you know what he does to his enemies?" Silence was her only answer. "He ties them up and interrogates them. Then he _kills_ them!"

"Really?" he asked, furrowing his brow at that. He didn't remember his brother being some bloodthirsty murderer. Hell, most of what Sabo did was low-profile work gathering information to sell. Rarely did he even show his face, let alone attack someone. He was strong, of course, but he was more the passive type than anything.

"Yes, really! Just last night they found two bodies in the outskirts of town. They were  _dismembered_ , Luffy. The bodies were so messed up that they couldn't be identified. And there was blood in a nearby hut, meaning he probably still has someone held captive."

He gulped. Dismembered—Law. He asked him to look for Sabo but his friend never got back to him. Was he the cause of that? Or was Nami right? He knew his brother well and, while he would ordinarily fight members of Low Town's underground, he never took it that far. He didn't  _kill_.

"We could be in serious danger," she declared, desperate and worn. No doubt she was worried about their lives. Her head was spinning and she took a seat at the table, cupping her head in her hands as she eyed the paper that could destroy their lives. He was the most deadly lone member of the Underground. No one ever escaped.

"What does it say?" Zoro asked, trying to shift the mood. Wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to help anyone. They needed to focus. Hell, they didn't even know why he sent that! There was no point in getting all worked up over it. If he was looking to fight like they thought, the swordsman would definitely comply. He wasn't afraid like the rest of those cowards.

"It's written in code," Robin replied, fingering a dented corner of the black letter.

Curious, Luffy picked it up and unfolded it. He knew Sabo would never leave a direct message as a precaution against unwanted readers. He always prepared for the worst. It would be terrible if an enemy were to read it, after all. Also, he had sent it to the base instead of telling him outright when he visited that morning, meaning that it had to do with the gang as a whole. Giving it a quick once-over, he recognized the code. They developed it not long after their trips to Low Town began as a way to keep each other safe and informed. While it hadn't been used in a long time, he remembered it clearly. In white ink it read:

_NW P'W_

_6,10~ 31:25_

_3D/9VTRS/N-WEA_

_DIS'N_

_~Blue Gentleman_

He read it over a few times in his head, wanting to be certain he got every detail correct. Seeing how simple the code was, both in format and length, everything mattered. He took a deep breath, putting everything together in his head. "He wants to meet us."

The members of his gang blinked mindlessly, wondering how he was able to understand it so quickly. Usopp snatched the paper from Luffy's hand and read it over, raising his eyebrow when he couldn't figure it out. He turned back to their leader for further explanation.

"He wants to discuss something—doesn't wanna fight."

Usopp looked over the code once more, thumb and index finger wrapped around his chin. It took him only a few moments to confirm that what Luffy said was clearly written out on the third and fourth lines. After seeing that, reading the rest of the note was simple. Really, the code was very basic and probably wasn't meant to confuse them. It was still strange that Luffy was the first to crack it, though.

"Let's see…" He looked over the seemingly random letters, numbers and symbols as he deciphered the rest of its meaning. He titled his head before announcing his findings to his nakama. "Luffy's right. It says to meet in three days at the northwest passageway—the one close to the entrance of High Town."

"…But why?" Nami asked with her brow knitted in contemplation. The sniper sighed and shook his head.

"It doesn't mention the reason."

"Well it's obvious we can't go—for all we know, it's a trap."

"No," Luffy interjected, "that's not his style."

"And how would you know, Shitty Leader?" Sanji questioned, leaning against the table as he watched the raven-haired boy. Their boss was acting strange; he was taking this seriously despite normally being unaffected by things like that. There was more to this than what appeared, no doubt, but Boss wasn't going to give them answers. He never did.

"He's not a coward." Luffy breathed deeply. "If he was going to attack us he would have done so already."

No one pressed the matter. That boy was always a mystery and they knew he would never satisfy their questions.

Zoro shifted to face his leader. "So what are we going to do?"

"We go."

"What? You can't be serious!" Nami shouted, voice uneven and unsure.

"Yohoho! As expected of Leader!" Brook chimed, having remained quiet for far too long.

"Are you  _really_ willing to risk all of our lives, Luffy?" the strategist called out, desperate for him to change his mind. It felt like her position in the gang was being undermined, like her expertise in the field was ignored.

"Oi, Luffy… Maybe we should listen to Nami. That guy's dangerous, you know." At this point Usopp was just stating the obvious. He never liked conflict and wasn't exactly the bravest of characters. Hell, he met Straw Hat when he was hiding from some gang members and those guys couldn't even be considered in the same league as the Blue Gentleman. He heard stories of people being left for dead, limbless. He even heard that he'd experiment on their corpses. He'd cut them open, remove their organs, saw through their bones and then—

"My mind's made up." Luffy's certainty snapped the long-nosed gang member away from his morbid thoughts. His mouth gaped open, shocked that he didn't seem worried in the least.

"B-but you heard what Nami said! He might try to—"

"He's  _not like that_!" Luffy shouted in retort, fists clenched at his side. Hearing them talk so poorly about his brother—the boy who raised him alongside Shanks—was starting to get to him. He knew the rumors that surrounded Sabo's Low Town persona. He'd heard it all: that he was a government spy; that he gained his notoriety by committing mass murder; that he was a  _demon_. He was the only criminal that had a bounty despite there being no photo of him—not even a shadowed one like they had for Fire Fist and Phoenix. And that bounty was higher than most criminals. It was below Whitebeard's, Shanks's and Phoenix's, but few others. Luffy had known about everything that was said about him and normally it didn't faze him, but hearing his nakama say that was tough. He knew they were oblivious to who Sabo was but it was still sad. He had to keep himself from shouting out something he shouldn't.

"He is, Luffy!" Nami yelled back, slamming her hands onto the tabletop as she rose from her seat, eyes blazing. "He's been doing this for  _six years_ now! What would make you think he's anything  _but_  a murderer?"

"He's…" No, Luffy couldn't make their relation known. That would cause his Low Town nakama to become even more suspicious of him. Hell, anything at that point would make them question him. They were already wondering about his secrets and he didn't want to lose their friendship. Still, he couldn't sit back and watch Sabo's name be slandered by the ones he called his friends. "He's someone that I trust."

Everyone gawked absently at him, rolling over those words in their heads. What did he mean? It sounded as though he knew the criminal personally. Did he? Enough to trust him? They weren't even sure he trusted  _them_ , seeing as he was keeping his personal matters hidden. Those words were like a stab to the chest. He trusted a murderer more than he did his own gang, didn't he?

"…Why?" Nami hung her head low, arms clenched to her sides, asking what everyone else wanted to. "Do you trust that criminal more than us?" Luffy sighed, brows raised apologetically. He knew she was frustrated—they all were. He probably should have worded it better. Unconsciously, he wounded them.

"It's not like that. It's just…" He resigned himself to revealing more than he intended. The boss slouched onto one of the chairs, pulling his hat over his eyes. He leaned back into a more relaxing pose. This time he would choose the right words. This time he would do his best to avoid misunderstandings. It was fine so long as they didn't know he was a noble, wasn't it? They could learn just a bit about him, right? "I've known him for a long time."

They all raised their heads, shocked that he was revealing even a small section of his life outside the gang. They never thought they'd hear about his personal relations. Did he trust them or was he just telling them because he felt bad?

"He's really not like that. He practically raised me." Luffy smiled, reminiscing over his childhood. Sure Shanks was his adoptive father but he couldn't be there all of the time. He was one of the Underworld's most powerful figures, after all. Sabo was the one who taught him how to read and write. He was the one who tutored him when there was something he didn't understand and was the one who helped him when his parent could not. They shared a bond closer than blood-siblings. He became his best friend, brother and hero.

"He…" The swordsman blinked, wondering if he heard that right. "He raised you?"

"Pretty much, shishishi," the black-haired boy replied, flashing one of his trademark grins. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let them know some things about him. What harm could it do?

After a long pause, their mouths agape, Robin spoke up. "May I ask how you know him, Leader?"

Should he say it? Sabo would definitely get mad if he did. Still, they deserved to know at least a little of his affairs. He knew everything about them. He knew their families, their pasts—even the darkest of secrets. After so many years the guilt was starting to get to him. So long as his heritage was avoided, there was nothing for him to fear. "He's my brother."

* * *

They were all simply enjoying themselves, going about their daily duties. Brook was playing his latest song and Franky was fixing up some new concoction, all while Usopp told tall tales of his bravery to one naive reindeer. Sanji and the swordsman had started some sort of argument when the cook went to deliver beverages to the two girls in the group—both of which were readings an assortment of texts. Meanwhile their boss was stuffing his face with a vast array of different foods prepared by the blonde. It was like their earlier conversation never occurred.

All of them were curious; they wanted to press the matter further and find out more. It was the first time Luffy confided in them. Still, they didn't want to push their luck. Learning that he had a sibling was a big step for them, seeing as he never so much as mentioned his family. Knowing he was the Blue Gentleman, one of the most feared men in all of Low Town, was a shock but they really shouldn't have expected anyone related to their leader to be normal. It took a lot to keep up with him—no doubt his brother had to be extraordinary.

"Sanji, more food!" he ordered, shoving another mouthful of food down his throat.

The cook's brow twitched. "I'm not making any more! You just went through a week's worth of provisions!"

"But I haven't been here much lately! Come on, just a little more," the boy whined, bottom lip protruding in a pout.

"No!"

As the two continued to bicker, something clicked in Robin's head. "Leader, how is your friend doing?"

Luffy blinked at this, wondering what she was referring to. Then he recalled calling Fire Fist his friend the previous day to keep their suspicions low. In reality he couldn't call the man that—they'd barely spoken and didn't know anything about each other. Still, he liked him. Would they be acquaintances? Was that the word? He was never knowledgeable with that type of thing. Sabo would know, so he could ask him when he got back. "He's better! I think… He still can't get out of bed, but he can eat now!"

A few in the room gawked at him, wondering how serious his friend's condition was. He couldn't even  _eat_  before?

"What's wrong with him, anyways?" Nami asked, turning away from her book to look at the bug-eyed teen.

_He has a gaping hole that goes from his back right through to his chest. But don't worry, it's healing!_

"…He got hurt."

"I know that, but how?"

_He's in a gang and he was stabbed in the back—literally—by a member of his division. Even the Surgeon of Death is surprised he survived._

"…" He saw that more of his nakama were looking at him now and he couldn't get out of giving them at least some sort of explanation. "…I don't know. He was unconscious for a while, though."

"Shouldn't you know? I mean, he's your friend, right?"

"I didn't ask." Well, at least that part was true; Sabo was the one who told him. Ace probably didn't think he knew what happened and would want to keep it that way. A little too late, but the fire user didn't have to know.

They accepted that answer. Luffy wasn't one to pry. The only reason he knew everything about him was because they opened up to him. He never asked.

"So what's he like?" Nami questioned, leaning over the back of her chair with a smile. They were all really curious to hear about this guy, seeing as he was the only person outside of their little group that Luffy mention. Well, other than the Blue Gentleman, but no one really wanted to think about that at the time. It was still a big shock.

"Hmm…" The boy furrowed his brow in a look of contemplation. He didn't know much about him. Ace acted cruel to him and Sabo and tried to push them away when they wanted to help him. Well, Sabo never tried helping, but Luffy sure did! Still, he didn't think of him as a bad guy. He was nice, even if he didn't show it. And easily embarrassed. It was funny when his face turned red! "He's… What's that word?"

"What word?" Usopp chimed in, looking over from his spot at the table. He was trying to gather the last of the food before Luffy devoured it.

"Tsu…"

"Tsu?"

"You know— _that_  word!"

"What word?" The sniper sighed. Luffy was a terrible liar and even worse at explaining himself.

"…Tsun…" He pulled his lips into a taut line as he fumbled with the rest of it. "Tsundere! That's it!" Was that it? He wasn't sure, to be honest. It was the right word, or at least he thought. He needed to brush up on Low Town slang.

Half of the gang members burst out laughing. If that was the only way Luffy could think to describe him, they definitely wanted to meet the man one day.

* * *

Omake

Usopp: I'm surprised you even knew what that meant.

Luffy: What what meant?

Usopp: Tsundere.

Luffy: What tsundere?

Usopp: The  _word_  tsundere.

Luffy: Shishishi don't be stupid! Words can't be tsundere!

Usopp: No, Luffy—I mean I'm surprised you know what tsundere means.

Luffy: What  _what_  tsundere means? -looks around- I don't see a tsundere. -to the others- Hey are any of you tsundere?

Usopp: -sighs and face-palms- You know what? Just forget it. I give up.

Luffy: Then I win, shishishi! …What did I win?

 


	11. Confrontation

Ace stared the blonde down, tensing as he saw his features harden. Maybe he made a mistake by asking him that. No, he _definitely_ did. That was a very dark subject—one he shouldn't have taken lightly. And now he would suffer the consequences. At least, he thought he would, but the man didn't move nor speak. It only increased the heavy atmosphere.

When he was about to apologise, he heard a quick "pfft" sound. Only seconds later the blonde bastard was doubled over as rolls of laughter passed his lips. That wasn't the response he was expecting. He couldn't even ask what was so funny because of how loud the other was being. That was the first full laugh he heard from him. What was with that bizarre reaction?

"The look—" Sabo cut himself off with some stray snickers. He crossed his arms over his stomach as cramps ensued. Really he knew his laughter was an overreaction but Fire Fist's expression was perfect. He couldn't help himself. "You're so scared!" he shouted between gasps. It was true—he was _terrified_ of how the blonde might have reacted. After seeing how threatening his gaze could be the day before, when he was warned not to hurt the brat noble, he could tell that he wasn't someone to be taken lightly. The sharp glare he received before the laughing fit only brought back his unease.

"You're delusional, Blonde Bastard."

"And you'rein denial, dear Portgas." After settling himself, Sabo's smile faded to a more solemn look. He waited, giving the both of them the time to compose themselves. "Your statement is incorrect, I'm afraid."

"What?"

"I am not a High Town slave—not really. I'm more of a dog."

"What do you mean?"

"Figure it out. You've done such a _great_ job already," he teased, giving the other a devilish smirk.

"You're an asshole, you know that? I was—" He cut himself off before he could say something embarrassing that he would later regret.

"You were…?" Sabo pressed, playfully smiling at the other, seeing what his reaction would be. He was definitely uncomfortable. "Continue, Monsieur. You were _what_ , exactly?" He smirked when he saw the fire user's mouth form a taut line. Apparently he was flustered—how interesting.

"I was worried, alright?" Ace confessed as he turned away to hide his embarrassed blush. Suddenly the dresser to his left looked _very_ interesting. He couldn't believe he actually said something like that to a blueblood. What was the world coming to?

Sabo blinked. For the first time, he was caught off guard by Ace's words. The man was normally so blunt and straightforward that he could read him without even trying, but now he had to reassess his evaluation of the gang member. He knew that he couldn't stand nobles. In fact, his resentment seemed far deeper than what a normal citizen of Low Town would feel. Now that same Portgas was saying he was worried. Something must have thrown off the blonde's calculations because he never expected that.

"That's no good—you're supposed to hate me, you know."

"I'm well aware."

"Then why?" When he didn't receive an answer, he pressed further. "Nobles are the reason this country is in a _less than desirable_ state. You're familiar with this, I presume?"

"I know that. It's just…" He fumbled over his words, trying to figure out the answer for himself. Honestly he didn't know why he was worried, either. He shouldn't be—to hell with the nobles and to hell with their kids—but he was. "I don't know; there's just something different about the two of you."

"Different how, exactly?" Sabo already knew how they were different—oh, the reasons were plentiful—but he wanted to know if Fire Fist was saying that for the same reasons the blonde had stated so in their previous encounter. How much did he know? How much had Luffy spilled? If he said too much, things could turn grim. He'd have to have a talk with his younger brother later in the day.

"You don't act like nobles," he stated simply, smoothing over the sheets that rested on his lap. He didn't know what it was about them that was so interesting, but he found himself actually enjoying their company, if only a little.

Sabo smiled at that. Ace was aware, though only subconsciously. He wondered if he'd be able to figure them out in time. Well, it was doubtful, seeing as he would only remain until his injury was mostly healed, but the thought of allowing someone else to share their secrets was nice. Not that he would say anything, of course. "You're an interesting specimen, Portgas."

Ace shivered at that. Hadn't the Surgeon of Death used a similar phrase to describe the brat noble? He didn't like where the conversation was heading. Not only that, but he was embarrassed about how he'd voiced his concern. That would definitely come back to haunt him, seeing how devious the blonde looked.

Before Ace had a chance to form some sort of reply, Sabo pulled himself to his feet and merrily strutted over to the patient. He examined the black-haired man quickly before sitting himself in the seat next to the bed, normally reserved for his younger brother. The close proximity was a change, seeing as he normally kept to the other side of the room, but he had something he wanted to voice.

"Show me your ability," he commanded, tone more friendly than it was demanding.

"…What?" Fire Fist was taken aback by the seemingly random request.

"You got to ask you question so now I'm going to receive compensation. Fair enough, hm?"

"You didn't even give me a real answer."

"Minor detail." His mouth quirked into a small grin. Fire Fist sighed his irritation away and complied; with a raise of his right hand he turned a finger into flame. Sabo watched the fire dance, brows knitted together in concentration. He knew a lot about logia-type abilities but never had the chance to study them up close. Okay, that was a lie—he got _plenty_ close enough when the users were trying to kill him—but never had he been able to fully study one without putting his life on the line. It was a welcomed change. "Fascinating." He grabbed the arm and pulled it nearer to him to analyze the ability further. It was one thing to learn about a Devil Fruit and another to see it right before your eyes.

"That's my arm," Ace stated as the awkwardness of the blonde's interest in his fire got to him.

"I'm aware."

"Could you let it go?"

"I'm studying it."

"Studying what? It's just fire—I'm sure you've seen it before."

"Fire from a Devil Fruit user is much more interesting. I could spend all day analyzing the different properties associated with your ability. Given a few hours I would know your every weakness." At this Ace jerked his hand away, finger still morphed into flame. Sabo just chuckled. "Relax, I won't bother. I already know enough about the Mera Mera no Mi."

"You do, huh?"

"I like the powers the Devil Fruit can grant, so I learn about them. Don't have one myself, though."

"Why not?"

"You mean aside from how difficult they are to locate?" Ace groaned and rolled his eyes. "I don't want the weakness that comes along with it. Lu can't swim and he's not so bright. The last thing I need is for him to do something stupid when I'm unable to offer my assistance."

There was a pause in the conversation as Fire Fist thought.

"…You two are close, huh?"

"Of course; we're brothers."

"Brothers?" Suddenly he was brought back to the day before when the blonde said that their relationship was "complicated". So that's what he meant. Why did he decide to tell him that now? It was clear before that he wanted to keep his personal matters to himself. What changed? "You look nothing alike."

Sabo laughed. "It's complicated." This led to Ace groaning as he watched the blonde reach out towards his flame. His fingers touched it and went through its orange glow, unburned. He could feel the warmth still, but not the pain that would ordinarily follow. "So you have control over what you burn. I'm grateful you don't see me as an enemy." If he did he'd be set aflame.

"…Shut it, Blonde Bastard."

"You can say my name, you know—I won't bite. Probably."

"How reassuring."

"It's not that you produce flames, but rather your body itself is fire…" Sabo mumbled, more to himself than anything as he continued watching. He raised his eyes to meet Ace's, smiling with gratitude. "Your cooperation is appreciated, Fire Fist. It's not often I get to see these abilities in person." That was a lie, but he didn't need to know any more.

"Don't get out much?" Ace was surprised they were holding a conversation, but he was more surprised by the blonde's change in mood—he was less reserved and more open. And it was nice that he wasn't being as much of a smartass. Still, what brought about that shift?

Sabo sighed and rubbed his head. "My subjects have a tendency to escape," he explained, leaning back in the chair. _Seeing as they're normally my enemies and I'm not exactly kind in my experiments… He doesn't need to know that._ "Luffy doesn't mind it, though."

Wait. What?

"That little noble ate a Devil Fruit?" No way. There was no way. If it somehow was true, it at least wasn't suited for fighting…was it? Someone as scrawny as him couldn't be useful in a fight.

"Reluctantly, yes." _He had it shoved down his throat by a fellow who will never be heard from again, thanks to Shanks._

"Which one?"

"I cannot say."

"You really are an asshole."

"Merci, Portgas."

* * *

Luffy headed up the stairs to the spare bedroom, mind filled with questions to ask his brother. He knew it was likely that they would have a very long talk about that note and resigned to a late dinner, as much as it pained him to do so. Well, the hoped it would be a long talk, but Sabo didn't like talking too much about Low Town affairs.

As he approached the door he heard talking and laughter—just a bit. He blinked a few times before opening the door curiously. Sabo was sitting in the chair next to his bed, casually discussing something with Ace before turning to face him with a smile. He tilted his head, wondering what brought about the sudden friendliness. His brother had a tendency to keep away from people, even those he trusted, because of his wary nature. He grew up seeing Sabo inch away from everyone but him, Shanks and Law. Seeing him in such close proximity to someone he considered a possible threat was…odd, to say the least. And nice.

"Hey, Lu," he greeted with a lazy wave. "You're back early."

"Oh…right." Luffy snapped back to reality and adjusted himself, fingering the bag in his hand. "I wanted to talk to you about…something."

Sabo's eyes narrowed and he sighed, turning to fully face his sibling. "I'd prefer to keep work separate from my personal life, thank you." He knew what Luffy wanted asked. Hell, he was _expecting_ it. But he couldn't answer—not as Sabo, anyways. Only the Blue Gentleman could really say anything and right then he wasn't wearing that guise.

"At least talk to me about it," Luffy said tiredly as he headed over to the bedside table and placed the bag down, allowing the sweet aroma to waft his nose. Sabo didn't like mixing his High Town and Low Town lives unless necessary, he knew, but that letter was bothering him. He never tried contacting his gang before and the action was worrisome.

Sabo sighed once more, straightened himself out and headed to the door. "Very well."

Luffy opened the bag and smiled, handing one of the containers to Ace. He laughed a bit when he saw the man's reaction to the scent. "Just hold on a second, 'kay?" And with those words he spun on his heel and the two exited the room, leaving a very confused Portgas to wonder what he was supposed to eat the meal with, seeing as he had no utensils.

The brothers arrived in the first floor living room which was far enough away that they wouldn't be heard. Luffy immediately took his place on the couch, Sabo sitting across from him.

"So?" his brother pressed, urging him to state his business in a tone rarely used with the boy. He was serious. Whenever the Blue Gentleman was involved his mood changed, even around Luffy.

"What are you planning?"

Sabo scratched his head and leaned back in his seat. "I told you to trust me, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then do it." His voice maintained its volume but gave in to a bit of exhaustion. He really didn't want to have that conversation. It should be left to their Low Town personas, nothing more. "I assure you no harm will come to your friends."

Luffy pouted. "That's not much of an answer." At that Sabo rolled his eyes.

"You sound like Portgas."

"What?"

"Nothing—don't worry about it." He leaned in, resting his arms on his legs, taking a more stern tone. "Look, you'll find out in three days. Alright?"

"…Alright."

Sabo smiled triumphantly and decided it was time he asked something of his own. It had been bothering him for a while. "By the way, how did you get Law to look for me? He doesn't take orders."

"Bribe."

"Ah. How much?"

"One million and a lot of begging."

Sabo whistled. "Wow, a lot cheaper than usual. You got lucky."

Luffy groaned and leaned into the seat. "Tell that to my wallet." After a moment of silence the two laughed, knowing just how frightening the man's prices could be. "If it wasn't for Sanji I think I would starve."

"Well, Shanks will be returning soon, right?" Luffy nodded reluctantly. They were both wondering how to explain their little visitor resting on the second floor, but that could wait. "He'll give you the money for more food. Can't say he'll be too happy when he learns you managed to spend _three hundred million_ in just over a week, though." He shuddered, knowing just how the man would react. Well, Luffy would survive so long as he could get him drunk and that was pretty easy to do.

"Law's terrifying."

"Agreed, little brother. Charged me two hundred and fifty million just for my shoulder. And he didn't use any drugs! Nothing!"

Luffy blinked, noticing for the first time the bandages on his brother's shoulder and chest. A strong worry welled up from his stomach at the sight. "…What happened?"

"It's nothing to worry about."

Luffy gave the blonde a dull glare. "That's not what I asked."

With a sigh, Sabo pondered how to answer. He really didn't want to worry the boy and found no reason to explain the night's events—especially the methods of torture he used to get his information—but he would never lie to his brother. "I had a bit of fun with some of Blackbeard's men." That would suffice.

"You fought them alone? Aren't you allied with Whitebeard?" There was obvious panic in the teen's voice. He was scared, worried for his brother. Rightfully so, one might add.

"Relax; I was just getting some information."

"You got shot, right?"

"Yes, I got shot. But in my defense… Well, I don't have one. Kinda messed up yesterday." Luffy's large eyes stared into him, showing such deep concern Sabo actually felt guilty. So, his brotherly instincts kicking in, he picked himself up and walked up to the boy, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He did that a lot when they were kids; it comforted him. Then he knelt down and pressed his forehead against his brothers, much the same way he did twelve years earlier and smiled softly into his eyes. "I'll be more careful from now on, alright?"

"Promise?"

"Yeah, promise."

Luffy's pained expression morphed into an impossible grin. "I'm holding you to that!"

"I know, I know." He proceeded to take a seat next to the boy, reclining in his usual fashion.

"Oh, and Sabo…" With talk of Blackbeard's men, Luffy was reminded of Nami's accusations from earlier that day. He remembered what she said about the bodies. He didn't doubt his brother but it worried him and he felt he needed to voice that. "What happened to the guys you fought?"

Sabo shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Two people were found dismembered outside Low Town last night. Dead."

"Only two?" he asked, blinking a few times. When he saw his little brother's glare he sighed. "That would be Law's handiwork. I assure you, however, that they were alive when we left them—in pieces, but alive nonetheless."

"Then what happened?" Luffy tilted his head, confused.

"Who knows?"

"You're not lying…right?"

Sabo turned to face his brother. Luffy was watching him with innocent, pleading eyes. Again his guilt returned. He hated seeing the boy so stressed out and worried, especially about him. Even though he swore to protect him, he still showed such concern. Sabo should be feeling that way, not him. It was his job as the eldest son to worry, and Luffy's to just be happy. "I don't lie to family. You know that, Lu."

"But you've been so secretive lately, I just…" His voice trailed off and he broke eye contact with the older, pouting slightly.

"You don't have to worry," Sabo stated as he ruffled Luffy's hair, trying to comfort him. "Now, why don't you get something to eat?"

Luffy's face lit up immediately. "I _am_ hungry."

"Luffy, you're _always_ hungry."

"Shishishi I am not! Just usually." He stuck out his tongue, eliciting an eye roll from the blonde.

"Whatever you say, little brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra:
> 
> Sabo: Trafalgar…what did you do with those men from before?
> 
> Law: What men?
> 
> Sabo: -glares-
> 
> Law: Oh, those men. Nothing to concern yourself with, Blue. They're fine. Probably.
> 
> Sabo: Luffy said two dismembered bodies were found near Low Town. You wouldn't happen to know about that, would you?
> 
> Law: Dismembered you say? Fascinating.
> 
> Sabo: You going to tell me what you did with the other bodies? Last I saw there were ten of them. And I don't recall killing anyone, either.
> 
> Law: You're going to accuse your savior of murder? My, how the mighty have fallen.
> 
> Sabo: Can't we have a serious conversation for ONE SECOND?!
> 
> Law: Sure. You're second's up, by the way.
> 
> Sabo: You little bastard… You're almost as much of an asshole as I am. -sighs- Just…just tell me what you did with the them. -whisper- Though I'm not sure I want to know…
> 
> Law: You trying to order me around, Blue?
> 
> Sabo: No, I'm just—
> 
> Law: -flips him off-
> 
> Sabo: GAH! You're impossible!
> 
> Law: I learned from the worst.
> 
> Sabo: Are you implying something?
> 
> Law: What do you think?
> 
> Sabo: Just tell me what you did with Blackbeard's men, damn it!
> 
> Law: -readies his nodachi- Is that an order?
> 
> Sabo: -eyes his poll from across the room- I don't know, is it?
> 
> Law: -glares-
> 
> Sabo: -glares and prepares to sprint for his weapon-
> 
> Luffy: Hey guys!
> 
> Sabo: …Luffy?!
> 
> Law: …Straw Hat?
> 
> Luffy: Shishishi! What are you doing?
> 
> Law and Sabo: …Nothing =_=;
> 
> Luffy: That's boring… Hey, Law, why's your nodachi out? Can I play with it? Can I?
> 
> Law: NO.
> 
> Luffy: Awe, you're no fun… -pouts-
> 
> Sabo: -whispers- Truce?
> 
> Law: -whispers- …Fine.


End file.
